Between April and June 2025, law enforcement agencies from Singapore, Hong Kong, and Malaysia jointly executed a large-scale operation that successfully dismantled a sophisticated criminal syndicate responsible for perpetrating scam calls across all three jurisdictions. The syndicate had been operating an advanced Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) GSM gateway system that facilitated large-scale fraudulent activity by routing scam calls through local mobile phone networks, thereby deceiving victims into thinking the calls originated within their own countries.
This operation was led by the Singapore Police Force (SPF) in coordination with the Hong Kong Police Force (HKPF) and the Royal Malaysia Police (RMP). Singapore’s Commercial Affairs Department (CAD), Criminal Investigation Department (CID), and Police Intelligence Department (PID) worked closely with their regional counterparts under a cooperative transnational framework. The two-month effort involved sustained intelligence sharing, surveillance, and simultaneous enforcement actions across the three regions.
The syndicate’s infrastructure relied on cloud-based remote operating systems, allowing criminals to connect to GSM mobile networks across borders without being physically present. This sophisticated setup enabled them to mask the origin of calls and exploit local telecommunication channels. The strategy misled victims in Singapore and other jurisdictions into believing they were receiving legitimate calls from local numbers.
As part of the crackdown, a total of 226 GSM gateway devices were confiscated in the coordinated raids. Authorities seized 75 devices in Singapore, 10 in Malaysia, and 141 in Hong Kong. Additionally, 11 suspects aged between 24 and 48 were arrested across the three jurisdictions for their suspected roles in the syndicate.
Among those apprehended was a 29-year-old male suspect arrested in Malaysia on June 3, 2025. He was subsequently extradited to Singapore and charged in court on June 5, 2025, for being a party to a criminal conspiracy to commit cheating, under Section 420 read with Section 120B of the Penal Code 1871. If found guilty under Section 420, the individual may face imprisonment of up to 10 years and a fine.
The entire operation was conducted under the coordination of FRONTIER+, a transnational law enforcement platform designed for multi-jurisdictional collaboration. Comprising ten participating countries and regions—including Singapore, Hong Kong, and Malaysia—FRONTIER+ facilitates rapid intelligence exchanges and joint operations to combat cross-border crimes such as scams.
The success of the operation was highlighted by the Director of the Commercial Affairs Department, David Chew, who stated on June 18, 2025, that “scam syndicates build sophisticated transnational cloud network infrastructure to launch attacks on our citizenry. A transnational threat requires a transnational response. This successful operation demonstrates the strong partnership between SPF, HKPF and RMP to combat these transnational scam syndicates. The coordinated efforts with our foreign counterparts have been instrumental in arresting the criminals maintaining this criminal infrastructure and dismantling it.”
He added that SPF will continue to collaborate with regional partners to identify, prevent, and disrupt such scams and bring perpetrators to justice.
The authorities reminded the public that they can access more information on scam prevention by visiting the national anti-scam portal at www.scamshield.gov.sg or by calling the ScamShield Helpline at 1799. Individuals with information on scams are encouraged to contact the police hotline at 1800-255-0000 or submit their tip-offs online at www.police.gov.sg/i-witness. All submissions will be kept confidential.
This cross-border bust illustrates the scale and adaptability of scam operations in Southeast Asia and the growing importance of international cooperation in law enforcement. The seizure of hundreds of VoIP devices and the arrests of key operatives significantly disrupt the network's ability to target victims across the region.
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