The Singapore and Malaysia police arrested 16 people for illegal horse betting activities in a joint operation on Wednesday (June 11).

In a statement on Thursday, the Singapore Police Force (SPF) said those arrested were suspected of being involved with a criminal syndicate which carried out illegal horse betting activities. They were aged between 50 and 78.

Officers from the SPF's Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and Special Operations Command conducted simultaneous raids at multiple locations across Singapore during the operation, resulting in the arrest of 14 men and one woman.

Cash, three bank accounts with a total value of about $200,000 believed to constitute criminal proceeds, as well as electronic devices such as mobile phones and gambling-related items were seized in these raids.

Additionally, a 53-year-old Singaporean man was arrested in Malaysia during a raid carried out by officers from the Royal Malaysia Police's (RMP) CID.

He will be charged in court on June 13 for offences under the Gambling Control Act.

Investigations are ongoing for the remaining individuals who were arrested.

Also on Wednesday, officers from the SPF's CID and land divisions conducted simultaneous checks at locations across Singapore including King George's Avenue, Jurong Street 24, Ang Mo Kio Street 22, New Upper Changi Road, Yung Sheng Road, Bukit Batok Street 31 and Marsiling Road.

A total of 40 men and one woman, aged between 47 and 84, are being investigated for their suspected involvement as bookmakers, runners and punters in illegal horse betting activities.

The police seized over $17,000 in cash, mobile phones, and horse betting items in these checks, said SPF.

Under the Gambling Control Act, any person found guilty of gambling with an unlawful service provider faces a fine of up to $10,000 or up to six months in jail, or both.

Anyone found to be involved in conducting an unlawful betting operation as an operator can be fined up to $500,000 and jailed for up to seven years.

The police take a serious view of all forms of illegal betting activities and work with counterparts such as the RMP to find criminal syndicates, said Deputy Commissioner of Police (Investigation and Intelligence) and CID director Zhang Weihan.

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bhavya.rawat@asiaone.com