Malaysian delivery riders among 35 arrested for harassing Singapore borrowers in cross-border loan sharking crackdown

NST had reported on May 7 that loan sharks – some of whom were based in Johor – were using online freelance delivery services to harass loan defaulters in Singapore. The delivery riders were recruited through platforms like Telegram.

In some cases, they delivered products containing pork to Muslim borrowers – who are not allowed to consume pork as part of their faith – and were detained after the recipients filed police reports. 

Some riders were reportedly offered up to S$100 for a delivery, did not know what was in the packages and were only told they were “surprise gifts”. 

The loan sharks are believed to have adopted the tactic to avoid detection in Singapore, where intimidation methods like splashing paint on premises may be caught on closed-circuit television cameras.

Under Singapore law, riders involved in such deliveries may still face legal action regardless of intent, including offences linked to religious provocation and illegal moneylending activities, NST reported.

CNA has contacted the Singapore Police Force for more details.

Mohd Khalid said the police will continue taking firm action against those involved, including account holders linked to the syndicate.

“Individuals recruited into such schemes are often unaware of the true nature of the deliveries assigned to them,” he said, urging people to be cautious when accepting job offers from unknown parties, NST reported.