ARRESTS IN SINGAPORE
The 11 men arrested in Singapore are aged between 22 and 44.
Those arrested, and the 16 people assisting with investigations, are suspected of:
- Producing, possessing, gaining access to and distributing child sexual abuse
- Sexual communication with a minor
- Committing offences relating to commercial sex with minors
- Threatening to distribute intimate images or recordings
- Transmitting and selling of obscene materials
- Possessing obscene films
Early investigations found that eight of them knowingly accessed, downloaded and possessed child sexual abuse materials through online messaging platforms and “peer-to-peer services”, SPF said.
In one case, the police investigated two men, aged 26 and 28, for making cross-border payments to access obscene materials through a Telegram channel.
This came after they received information from Malaysia’s police that a person was allegedly selling such materials to people in Singapore.
Another man was arrested in March, and the authorities found materials involving two victims of sexual exploitation on his devices.
The victims had been sexually exploited by someone overseas through an online platform. This case came up through a referral from a non-governmental organisation.
The Singapore police worked with overseas law enforcement to identify the offender and arrested him on Mar 27.
Images of another potential victim were also found on his devices, and investigations are ongoing, they added.
Anyone convicted of producing child abuse material may be jailed for up to 10 years and be liable to a fine or caning.
Anyone who knowingly possesses or gains access to child abuse material may be jailed for five years upon conviction and be fined or caned.