Singapore police explain why they did not arrest Chinese fugitive on Interpol Red Notice

SINGAPORE: Authorities in Singapore do not have sufficient evidence that a Singapore-based Chinese fugitive who was arrested in Indonesia had committed money-laundering offences, the local police said, explaining why his detention occurred in Batam rather than within the city state.

The police’s comments were in reference to the case of Yan Zhenxing, a Chinese national in his early 40s who is a Singapore permanent resident and on Interpol’s Red Notice list.

Yan was detained on December 2 by Indonesian authorities after he arrived at a ferry terminal on the resort island of Batam, located some 23km (14 miles) southeast of Singapore, having travelled there for a holiday, Indonesian media reported.

The case has sparked discussion around why Yan was not arrested in Singapore but only when he travelled to Indonesia.

Responding to queries from This Week in Asia, the Singapore Police said on Thursday (Dec 12): “To date, we do not have enough evidence that Yan may have committed money-laundering offences under Singapore’s laws, that would allow us to commence formal investigations against him.”

When Yan was granted Singapore permanent residency, there were no Interpol Red Notices against him, they added.

There is also currently insufficient evidence to warrant investigations into a permanent resident (PR) who is wanted by Beijing over money laundering charges, the Singapore Police Force (SPF) said on Thursday.

Chinese national Yan Zhenxing was detained on Dec 2 in Indonesia after he arrived in Batam for a holiday with his family.

According to Indonesian authorities, Yan – who allegedly helped transfer and launder almost US$18 million from a criminal online gambling group in China – was arrested following an Interpol Red Notice for him.

There was, however, no Interpol Red Notice against him at the point when his PR status was granted, according to the police.

The police also previously told enquiries there has not been any request for assistance from Chinese authorities.

“Should we eventually receive credible evidence of Yan’s alleged offences, we will deal with him in accordance with our laws, including the review of his PR status,” they said.

The police added that an Interpol Red Notice is not an arrest warrant, but an international alert for a wanted person published at the request of a member country.

“Hence, an Interpol Red Notice does not confer the police with powers to arrest a fugitive wanted by a foreign jurisdiction. The police would only be able to do so pursuant to an extradition request made under an extradition treaty,” said SPF.

However, the police said they still closely monitor Interpol Red Notices, even in the absence of requests for assistance from the country which published the notice.

Should a person with links to Singapore be subject to an Interpol Red Notice, the authorities will “keep the individual under close watch, and commence investigations if there is evidence that he or she has committed offences under Singapore laws”.

“In addition, the adverse information from the Interpol Red Notice will be an important factor when the authorities deliberate on the renewal of the individual’s immigration facilities.”

While SPF and the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) previously told the media that Yan was not implicated nor investigated in the S$3 billion money laundering case, one of Singapore’s largest money laundering probes, the police reiterated its zero tolerance for crime.

“We do not tolerate foreigners who may have committed crimes, taking refuge in Singapore, and will take firm action against them if we have sufficient grounds,” they said. – Agencies