The Singapore Police Force (SPF) has announced the arrest of five Chinese nationals and one Singaporean for allegedly engaging in illegal cyber activities in the country.
The development came after a group of approximately 160 law enforcement officers carried out a series of simultaneous raids in multiple locations on September 9, 2024.
The six men, aged between 32 and 42, are suspected of being part of an “international syndicate” engaged in malicious cyber activity. Electronic equipment and cash were seized during the investigation.
Among those arrested was a 42-year-old Chinese national from Bidadari Park Drive, who was found in possession of a laptop containing credentials to access web servers used by a known hacker group. The identity of the threat actors has not been revealed.
Additionally, five laptops, six mobile phones, cash totalling more than S$24,000 (US$18,400), and cryptocurrency worth approximately US$850,000 were seized.
The three other Chinese nationals arrested at Mount Sinai Avenue were said to be in possession of laptops containing personal information relating to foreign internet service providers, hacking tools and “specialized software for controlling malware,” including PlugX, a remote access Trojan horse widely used by Chinese government-linked groups.
Authorities also seized seven laptops, 11 mobile phones and more than S$54,600 (US$41,900) in cash from the three men.
Another Chinese national, 38, was arrested on Cairn Hill Road on suspicion of “offering to purchase personal information which appears to have been obtained by unlawful means”.
The sixth individual, a 34-year-old Singaporean who lives in Hougang Road, is believed to have assisted the other perpetrators in their heinous acts.
The defendants are charged under the Computer Misuse Act 1993 with unauthorised access to computer material, possessing personal information without authorisation and possessing software which can be used to carry out other malicious attacks.
The Singaporean national was also charged with aiding and abetting unauthorised access to websites, which carries a fine of up to S$5,000 (US$3,830) or up to two years in prison, or both, for a first offence.
A sixth Chinese national was also arrested on Wednesday for instructing a Singaporean man to sign up for a SingTel broadband plan, Channel News Asia reported.
“This operation is significant as these individuals are suspected of conducting malicious cyber activities globally from Singapore,” the Maritime Authority of Singapore said in a statement. “We will not tolerate the use of Singapore for criminal activities, including illegal cyber activities, and we will take strong action against the perpetrators.”
