Singapore Arrests Alleged Scam Syndicate Coordinator Linked to at Least S$500,000 in Laundered Proceeds
Singapore authorities have taken custody of a 27-year-old Malaysian man suspected of coordinating a cross-border scam and money-laundering operation involving runners who collected valuables from victims of government official impersonation scams.
The suspect, known by the nickname “Da Xiang”, was arrested in Malaysia on 22 September 2026 by the Royal Malaysia Police and handed over to the Singapore Police Force, according to a police statement reported by The Straits Times.
Preliminary investigations indicate that he allegedly recruited and coordinated Malaysian runners operating in Singapore. Police said he had physically met at least four runners on multiple occasions in Malaysia, assigned them tasks, coordinated ATM withdrawals and distributed earnings from the jobs.
The runners were allegedly instructed to collect gold and other valuables from scam victims in Singapore, transport the items to Johor Bahru and hand them to the suspect. Police believe he was responsible for laundering at least S$500,000 in scam and other illicit proceeds.
Updated 23 September 2026: Chin Hock Khan, 27, was charged in Singapore on 23 September with engaging in a criminal conspiracy to assist others to retain benefits from criminal conduct. Court reporting identified the suspect previously described by police as “Da Xiang” as Chin. The alleged conduct involved the collection of cash and gold items from individuals in Singapore between March and June 2026. He was ordered to be remanded at Central Police Division, with the case scheduled to be mentioned again on 30 September.
The charge is brought under Section 51 of the Corruption, Drug Trafficking and Other Serious Crimes (Confiscation of Benefits) Act 1992. If convicted, the offence carries imprisonment of up to 10 years, a fine of up to S$500,000, or both. The case remains before the court and the charge does not constitute a conviction.
The case goes beyond a conventional consumer-scam arrest because the alleged conduct concerns the movement and laundering of criminal proceeds across the Singapore-Malaysia border.
