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  A migrant worker, Islam Mohammad Khabirul, a 34-year-old shipyard worker from Bangladesh, has failed in his appeal to the High Court against his conviction for making a fraudulent claim for work injury compensation. Khabirul was sentenced to 13 weeks’ jail after being found guilty on three charges: one for making the fraudulent claim and two for submitting false statements to a Ministry of Manpower (MOM) investigation officer. High Court judge Vincent Hoong dismissed Khabirul’s appeal on December 3. Khabirul, who was employed by a company called Vigour Technologies and worked on a vessel named Heerema Sleipnir at Sembcorp Marine Tuas Boulevard Yard, had maintained that his employer and co-workers conspired to implicate him, with the employer masterminding the conspiracy to cover up a genuine accident and avoid regulatory scrutiny regarding the accident. Justice Hoong rejected this argument, stating that the prosecution presented sufficient evidence to prove that Khabirul had been...

  The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) announced on Monday, December 1, 2025, that it will cease the Work Permit scheme for foreign performing artistes due to widespread abuse by syndicates. Consequently, the Ministry will stop accepting new applications to hire foreign workers under the Performing Artiste Work Permit scheme from June 1, 2026. The scheme, originally introduced in 2008, was intended to allow licensed public entertainment outlets, such as bars, hotels, and nightclubs, to hire foreign performing artistes of any nationality for short-term engagements lasting up to six months. However, recent enforcement operations carried out by the Ministry of Manpower in collaboration with the police uncovered substantial manipulation of the system. These operations revealed syndicates utilizing non-operating public entertainment outlets to fraudulently hire foreign performing artistes under the scheme. These foreign workers were subsequently released to work illegally at various other pub...

  A Swedish national, Alkallas Karam, aged 23, who was in Singapore on an exchange program, was recently sentenced to four weeks in jail after pleading guilty to two counts of criminal trespass. The charges stemmed from an incident where he unlawfully entered the restricted premises of the Formula One Singapore Grand Prix 2025 held at the Marina Bay Street Circuit on October 4. The events began when Alkallas expressed to his friends on October 3 that the tickets for the annual event were prohibitively expensive. Despite this, he decided to attempt to gain unauthorized entry the following day. At approximately 7 PM on October 4, Alkallas arrived at Gate 1 of the Circuit Park area. He encountered a male volunteer, identified in court documents as B1, who was tasked with scanning entry tickets. Alkallas initially approached B1, claiming his ticket was with a friend, and B1 instructed him to wait. About 30 minutes later, Alkallas approached the volunteer again, reiterating that his fri...

  On December 1, 2025, the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority reported that its officers at Tuas Checkpoint foiled a significant smuggling attempt on November 17, 2025. The operation involved a 55-year-old Singaporean man driving a Singapore-registered car. Officers directed the vehicle for enhanced checks, leading to the discovery of over 2,800 e-vaporisers and related components. The illegal items were found meticulously concealed within various compartments of the car, indicating a deliberate attempt to evade detection at the border. The prompt intervention by the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority prevented a large quantity of prohibited goods from entering the country. The case was promptly referred to the Health Sciences Authority for detailed investigation into the illegal importation. The Immigration & Checkpoints Authority emphasized that robust border security is a crucial aspect of its enforcement strategy against e-vaporisers, reiterating its commitment to...

  The Singapore Police Force (SPF) has arrested a 73-year-old Malaysian woman for her suspected involvement as a money mule in at least three cases of the Government Official Impersonation Scam (GOIS), in which scammers posed as officials from the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS). The Scam and Modus Operandi The scam incidents occurred between October 8 and November 24, 2025. Impersonation: The scammers contacted victims, claiming to be officials from the "Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS)". The Lie: Victims were falsely informed that their bank accounts were linked to money laundering activities or that their personal information had been compromised. Instruction to Victims: Victims were instructed to surrender their cash and valuables (including gold bars) to the scammers for the purported purpose of investigations. The Handover: Victims complied, meeting unknown individuals at various locations across Singapore to hand over the items. The victims realized they had...

  The Singapore Police Force (SPF) arrested a 23-year-old Italian man for his suspected involvement in a case of cheating after he allegedly used a counterfeit watch to acquire three genuine Rolex watches valued at approximately $90,000. The arrest was made swiftly at Changi Airport before the suspect could leave the country. The Cheating Incident The incident was reported on the evening of November 28, 2025: Time and Location: At about 7:30 pm, Police were alerted to a case of suspected cheating at a watch shop located along Bencoolen Street. Method: The man had allegedly engaged in a trade-in transaction with the retailer, exchanging a branded luxury watch for three genuine Rolex watches valued at about $90,000. Discovery: During subsequent authentication checks, the retailer discovered that the branded watch traded in by the man was counterfeit and immediately alerted the police. Swift Arrest and Recovery Officers from the Central Police Division launched immediate follow-up inv...

  The Health Sciences Authority (HSA) announced on November 28, 2025, that it has successfully intercepted two separate smuggling operations, leading to the seizure of illegal codeine cough syrup and prescription medicines with a combined street value of approximately $41,000. These swift enforcement actions prevented highly addictive controlled substances from reaching the illicit market in Singapore. Case 1: Illegal Cough Syrup in Bleach Bottles The first case involved the deceptive packaging and distribution of illegal cough syrup: Detection: On November 17, 2025, HSA was alerted by a courier company that had observed two suspicious crates at their facility. Concealment: The overseas shipments, intended for two separate addresses in Yishun, were deceptively labelled as a well-known household bleach but actually contained suspected codeine-based cough syrup. Seizure: HSA conducted simultaneous enforcement operations at both Yishun delivery addresses on the same day, seizing over ...

  The Land Transport Authority (LTA), supported by tip-offs from the National Private Hire Vehicles Association and National Taxi Association, recently arrested 15 drivers for providing illegal cross-border ride-hailing services. The drivers were apprehended at key locations, including the land checkpoints, Changi Airport, Arab Street, and Ban San Street, and all their vehicles were impounded. Drivers caught providing these illegal services face strict penalties, including fines of up to S$3,000, imprisonment for up to six months, and possible vehicle forfeiture. The LTA continues its enforcement efforts and urges the public to report any illegal ride-hailing services they spot via the government portal at go.gov.sg/report-illegal-rides .

  Twelve male foreign nationals were arrested for suspected drug-related offences in a comprehensive, overnight enforcement operation conducted by the Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) and multiple government agencies at a migrant worker dormitory in Woodlands. The extensive sweep, lasting more than four hours, began late Thursday (Nov 27) and continued into the early hours of Friday morning. The Operation and Arrests The operation was executed by officers from the CNB, in coordination with the Singapore Police Force (SPF), Health Sciences Authority (HSA), Ministry of Manpower (MOM), and the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA). Suspects: The 12 arrested men include 11 Bangladeshis and one Myanmar national, aged between 23 and 40. Charges: One of the suspects, a 34-year-old Bangladeshi man, was arrested for suspected drug trafficking and drug consumption offences. Investigations for all arrested suspects are ongoing. The Scene: Officers searched multiple rooms containing six bu...

  Singapore Customs successfully concluded a significant enforcement operation, resulting in the arrest of four men and the seizure of a large quantity of duty-unpaid cigarettes and vehicles. The operation, conducted on November 13, 2025, at the Pasir Laba heavy vehicle carpark, targeted a ring involved in a massive tax evasion scheme. Details of the Seizure and Evasion During the operation, Customs officers conducted checks on a parked bowser (a type of tanker) and an adjacent forested area. They discovered that duty-unpaid cigarettes, allegedly smuggled from the bowser, were being packed into carton boxes. Contraband Seized: A total of 3,100 cartons of duty-unpaid cigarettes were found concealed within the bowser and the forested area. Tax Evasion: The total duty and Goods and Services Tax (GST) evaded on the seized cigarettes amounted to about $335,785. Vehicles Seized: Customs seized three vehicles involved in the operation: a prime mover with the bowser attached, a truck, and ...

  A 32-year-old man was arrested after a viral video showed him driving a Range Rover Velar on the Sungai Besi Highway on November 22 with a completely shredded rear tyre. The man surrendered to the KL Traffic police station on November 23 after the video, which showed him ignoring motorists' warnings and driving on the metal rim, went viral. The driver subsequently tested positive for ketamine, amphetamine, and methamphetamine but was negative for alcohol. The driver claimed his tyre burst after hitting a pothole and he chose to continue home. Authorities are now investigating the case under Section 45A for driving under the influence of drugs, and Section 42(1) of the Road Transport Act for reckless and dangerous driving.

  Singaporean Dev Ananth Durai , 39, is currently a wanted man in the United States, facing an arrest warrant issued by the District Court of Massachusetts in connection with an ongoing, complex international insider trading probe spanning from 2016 to 2024. Dev is the son of former National Kidney Foundation (NKF) CEO T.T. Durai. Allegations and Network Involvement Dev Ananth Durai is one of eight suspects against whom charges were filed in Boston on November 1. Prosecutors allege that he was a key participant in a transnational criminal network responsible for illicit insider trades and fund laundering. Timeline and Profit: Dev allegedly joined the group in 2018. In one instance, he reportedly boasted to an unnamed suspect (CC12, one of 12 Singapore-based individuals linked to the probe) that he made US $250,000 (S$ 327,000) in a single trade. The Syndicate: The criminal network was allegedly ring-led by French national Samy Khouadja , and included German national Emma Safi a...

  A fight between a man and a woman at the Customs, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ) Complex in Johor Bahru, Malaysia, on November 12, has gone viral via video clips. The altercation reportedly stemmed from a dispute while commuters were "scrambling to get on the bus" at the checkpoint. Multiple video shows the two individuals pushing each other in front of a bus, culminating in the woman attempting to tackle the man, resulting in both falling to the ground. Johor Bahru South district police confirmed that no official police reports have been filed. However, authorities are investigating after being alerted to the footage on November 13, and are working to identify the individuals and witnesses involved.

  The Health Sciences Authority (HSA) has charged two men for the alleged importation of e-vaporisers into Singapore. The men, Muhammad Amirul Iqbal Bin Mohd Nazri , 21, and Lim Teck Wee , 19, appeared in court on November 17, 2025. The Checkpoint Bust The arrests followed major seizures made by officers from the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) at Woodlands Checkpoint on November 15, 2025, in two separate cases occurring on the same day. First Case (Amirul Iqbal): ICA officers discovered 1,000 e-vaporisers concealed in a Malaysian-registered car driven by Amirul Iqbal. Second Case (Lim Teck Wee): In a separate incident, ICA officers found a larger cache of more than 1,600 e-vaporisers and related components in a Malaysian-registered van driven by Lim. Both accused persons were arrested by the HSA on November 15, and investigations are ongoing. Their cases have been adjourned to December 15, 2025. Penalties for E-Vaporiser Offences The importation, distribution, s...

  A Malaysian man, Bernard Goh Yie Shen, 24, has been arrested and will be charged in Singapore for his suspected involvement in a Cambodia-based organised criminal group responsible for a massive government official impersonation scam. Goh was among the 32 remaining suspects who had been on the run. The Singapore Police Force (SPF) announced on November 17 that Goh was initially apprehended by foreign police in Cambodia and subsequently deported to Malaysia, where Malaysian authorities formally arrested him. He was then handed over to Singapore authorities on the same day. The Organised Criminal Group and Its Scope Goh is believed to be a member of an organised group primarily based in the Cambodian capital, Phnom Penh. The syndicate operated from a scam compound and focused on running government official impersonation scams that targeted victims in Singapore. The criminal group is believed to be responsible for at least 438 reported impersonation scam cases, resulting in signific...

  Australian content creator Johnson Wen, 26, was charged with public nuisance on Friday, November 14, after jumping a barricade and rushing at Wicked star Ariana Grande during the movie premiere at Resorts World Sentosa on Thursday evening. Wen, who operates as "Pyjama Man," was captured on video jumping the barrier, running toward Grande, and putting his arm around her before co-star Cynthia Erivo and security intervened. The initial public nuisance charge was amended to Section 290(b), which now carries a penalty of up to three months' jail and/or a S$2,000 fine. Wen, who appeared via videolink, told the court he would plead guilty. As he could not find a local bailor, he was released on a S$3,000 personal bond with the condition that he surrender his travel documents. The case is set for a plea hearing on November 17.

  The bail for an Italian citizen facing a human trafficking charge, Achraf Arjaouy , aged 31, was revoked on November 14 after he allegedly committed a fresh offense, specifically assaulting his bailor, who is identified as his former girlfriend. Arjaouy, who was out on a substantial $100,000 bail while awaiting the verdict of his human trafficking trial, is now remanded, and the verdict is scheduled for January 16, 2026. The initial condition for his bail required that he does not reoffend. Alleged Assault and Bail Revocation In a court hearing on November 14 regarding his bail-related matters, Deputy Public Prosecutors David Khoo, Tay Jia En, and Ariel Tan detailed Arjaouy’s alleged violent conduct towards his bailor. Repeated Violence: The prosecution stated that the alleged assault on October 15, 2025, was the fourth time Arjaouy had used violence towards the woman. Injuries: Following one of the incidents in September 2024, the bailor was taken to the hospital and diagnose...

  Malaysian rapper Namewee (Wee), aged 42, is scheduled to be released on police bail on Thursday, November 13, following a decision by the country’s Attorney-General's Chambers (AGC). This marks a significant development in the high-profile murder investigation of Taiwanese influencer Iris Hsieh Yu-hsin, aged 31, who was found dead in a Kuala Lumpur hotel bathtub on October 22. Attorney-General Dusuki Mokhtar confirmed the impending release late on Wednesday, stating that the police probe currently lacks any evidence that could connect the rapper to Hsieh’s death. "So far, there is no evidence that shows the suspect was involved in causing the influencer’s death," Dusuki was quoted as saying, though he added that the AGC has instructed further investigation and would take appropriate action if any new findings surface. The case’s investigation paper was formally referred by the Kuala Lumpur police to the AGC on Tuesday. Under Malaysian law, the police are required to eit...

  A woman who meticulously crafted a scam using fake PayNow screenshots to obtain food and services from multiple establishments has been sentenced to one year and 11 months’ jail. Filipino national Santos-Tumalip Maria Monalyn Bagaporo, aged 33, pleaded guilty on November 13 to four charges, including cheating and theft, with three other charges taken into consideration. The total value of the food and services she obtained fraudulently exceeded $10,000. The court documents detailed a pattern of deception that involved Bagaporo placing orders and then transferring the payment amount to her own bank account, rather than the merchant's. She would then use a photo editing application to alter the resulting transaction screenshot, making it falsely appear as if the money had been successfully sent to the restaurant or salon. In some cases, she even edited the sender details to make it look like the payments originated from different accounts. 1. House of Seafood (May 2022 – August 20...

  A significant development in the fight against transnational crime occurred when two Singaporean men, both aged 44, were arrested on November 11 following their deportation from Thailand and Cambodia, respectively. The men are suspected of involvement in transnational scam operations and money mule offenses targeting Singaporeans. The arrests were carried out by officers from the Anti-Scam Command of the Singapore Police Force (SPF) immediately upon the men’s arrival in Singapore. The SPF announced the arrests in a statement on November 13, highlighting successful international collaboration. The First Suspect: Myanmar Scam Centre Administrator The first man was arrested by the Royal Thai Police (RTP) during a raid conducted in Bangkok. He is allegedly linked to a transnational scam syndicate that was operating a scam centre located in Myanmar. This syndicate purportedly planned government official impersonation scams specifically targeting Singaporeans. Preliminary investigation...