Police arrest Dan Tan for investigations

SINGAPORE — Less than a week after he was released from what the courts ruled as unlawful detention under the Criminal Law (Temporary Provisions) Act (CLTPA) since October 2013, alleged match-fixer Dan Tan Seet Eng (picture), 51, was arrested today for investigations into his suspected involvement in criminal activities, the police said in a brief statement late tonight (Dec 1).

“The police are unable to provide further comments at this point as investigations are ongoing,” a spokesperson said, in response to TODAY’s queries.

Tan’s lawyer Hamidul Haq said he understands his client was arrested at his home shortly before the police statement, but had no further details. “At the moment, we are trying to establish what is the basis of the police action to rearrest him,” he added.

Tan, dubbed “the leader of the world’s most notorious match-fixing syndicate”, was released last Wednesday after the courts said his detention was “beyond the scope of the power vested in the minister, which was to detain persons in the circumstances where activities of a sufficiently serious criminal nature threatened to or did undermine public safety, peace or good order in Singapore”.

The CLTPA allows the Home Affairs Minister to detain suspected criminals without trial, and has been invoked to put away hardened gangsters, loan sharks and murderers. The detention orders are for up to a year, and have to be reviewed annually.

Tan is wanted by the Italian and Hungarian authorities.