SINGAPORE — Six men were charged in court on Tuesday (Sept 10) for their involvement in illegal cyber activities carried out in Singapore. The group, consisting of one Singaporean citizen and five Chinese nationals aged between 32 and 42, is believed to be linked to a global syndicate engaged in malicious cyber operations.

The Singapore Police Force (SPF) and the Internal Security Department (ISD) conducted a large-scale operation on Monday (Sept 9), leading to the arrest of the six individuals after simultaneous raids across various residential locations. During the raids, officers seized electronic devices, cash, and other evidence linked to the criminal activities. The operation involved 160 officers from different SPF and ISD units.

Among those arrested was 34-year-old Singaporean Goh Shi Yong, who allegedly subscribed to internet services that were used by his co-accused to facilitate their illegal cyber activities. The other individuals charged are Zhang Qingqiao, Liu Yuqi, Huang Qin Zheng, Yan Peijian, and Sun Jiao, all Chinese nationals. They face multiple charges under the Computer Misuse Act, including targeting websites to exploit vulnerabilities and purchasing illegally obtained personal data.

Authorities revealed that the group was involved in cyberattacks, scanning websites for weaknesses, and accessing personal information without authorization. During the raids, SPF and ISD officers seized five laptops, nine mobile phones, over S$24,000 in cash, and cryptocurrency worth approximately USD $850,000 (S$1.1 million).

A key arrest occurred at a condominium on Bidadari Park Drive, where a 42-year-old Chinese national was found with credentials linked to hacker group servers. Another arrest at a Cairnhill Road condominium saw a 38-year-old Chinese national caught with S$465,000 in cash and electronic devices.

Further arrests took place at a residence on Mount Sinai Avenue, where three Chinese nationals were found with laptops containing stolen data and hacking tools, including information related to foreign internet service providers. A 34-year-old Singaporean male, residing in Hougang, was arrested for allegedly assisting the group in their cyber activities.

All six men have been remanded and will face further hearings on Sept 17 as investigations continue. The SPF and ISD are continuing to investigate the syndicate’s local and global connections.

Authorities stressed that Singapore has zero tolerance for the use of its territory for illegal activities, including cybercrime, and that severe penalties await those found guilty. If convicted under the Computer Misuse Act, the accused could face up to two years in prison and fines of up to S$5,000 for a first-time offense, while those trafficking personal data could face up to three years in jail or fines of up to S$10,000.