SINGAPORE, July 21: An Indian-origin Malaysian man has been sentenced to 38 months in prison in Singapore for collecting and smuggling 1,600 gold bars worth over SGD 412,000 (about USD 319,200) that were obtained from a victim of a government impersonation scam.
According to a Channel News Asia report, Turah Raju Subramaniam (39) was recruited through a Telegram group offering “job opportunities” and, in November last year, was instructed to collect valuables from a 54-year-old Singaporean woman who had been duped in the scam.
After collecting the 1,600 24K gold bars, Subramaniam travelled back to Malaysia in a vehicle arranged by his handlers and handed the gold to the driver.
He was arrested when he attempted to re-enter Singapore a few days later.
Subramaniam pleaded guilty to assisting another person in retaining benefits derived from criminal conduct and was sentenced to three years and two months in jail.
The prosecution had sought a prison term of 42 to 44 months, arguing that he knowingly entered Singapore to collect the gold for criminal associates and acted out of self-interest despite the suspicious nature of the operation.
Under Singapore law, assisting another person in retaining proceeds of criminal conduct carries a maximum penalty of 10 years’ imprisonment, a fine of up to SGD 500,000, or both.
