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Luxury goods scam: Second man to be charged with helping couple flee Singapore

SINGAPORE — A second man was arrested in Malaysia on Friday (July 29) for his suspected involvement in helping a couple flee Singapore earlier this month.

SINGAPORE — A second man was arrested in Malaysia on Friday (July 29) for his suspected involvement in helping a couple flee Singapore earlier this month. The couple were alleged to have failed to deliver luxury watches and bags to buyers.

In a statement, the police said that a 38-year-old Malaysian man — who was not named — will be charged on Saturday with abetting an illegal departure from Singapore.

The police added that the arrest was carried out with “strong co-operation and assistance” from the Royal Malaysia Police.

Investigations revealed that the 38-year-old man allegedly entered into a conspiracy with a 40-year-old Malaysian man named Mohamed Alias to commit the offence on July 4.

It was not immediately clear what role the 38-year-old suspect played in the couple’s escape.

Mohamed Alias, a lorry driver, was charged on July 15 with helping 27-year-old Pansuk Siriwapa, a Thai woman, to leave Singapore in the container compartment of a Malaysia-registered lorry.

He was handed another charge last Friday with helping her husband, 26-year-old Singaporean Pi Jiapeng leave the country in the same way.

Pi and Pansuk were said to have cheated victims who made advance payments for millions of dollars in luxury watches and bags. 

Pi was arrested on June 27. He had his passport impounded and was released on bail the next day, pending the completion of investigations.

Pansuk was assisting the police with investigations and surrendered her passport to officers on June 30. 

Both later could not be contacted.

Arrest warrants and Interpol red notices have been issued against them, after at least 180 police reports involving two companies, Tradenation and Tradeluxury, were made from June.

The Singapore police have also appealed to the public for information on the missing couple.

Interpol said that Pi was born in Fujian, China, while Pansuk is from Roi Et, a province in central north-eastern Thailand. The agency added that Pansuk is 1.64m tall.

Under the Immigration Act, a person who abets anyone to leave Singapore illegally faces at least six months’ and up to two years’ jail and may also be fined up to S$6,000.

Any abetment of offences in Singapore, even if committed outside the country, is punishable under Singapore law.

Related topics

crime police Interpol Malaysia arrest scam luxury goods

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