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Malay Mail
18-07-2025
- Malay Mail
Five Chinese men tried to exploit Singapore law to stay, sell banned sex pills; now in the dock
SINGAPORE, July 18 — Five Chinese citizens were charged in Singapore with corruption after allegedly offering bribes to enforcement officers in a scheme to prolong their stay in the country and sell illegal sex enhancement medications. All five accused planned to get caught and charged in order to obtain Special Passes and be released on bail, The Straits Times reported today, citing the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB). The CPIB claimed that doing so would allow them to continue operating in Singapore even while under investigation. The group is believed to be acting under the direction of a Singaporean drug abuser, who has since been arrested and is under investigation by Singapore's Central Narcotics Bureau. The charges Xiao Xiezhi, 43, was charged with offering more than S$400 (about RM1,400) to three National Environment Agency (NEA) officers after being caught smoking under a bus stop shelter on January 22. Xu Zhishen, 37, was charged with offering S$119 (RM415) to two police officers near Sri Mariamman Temple on April 27. Xu Bixin, 31, faces one charge for allegedly offering S$70 (RM245) to a police officer on May 3 to avoid an identity check. Huang Chuangshun, 40, was charged for offering S$100 (RM350) to two NEA officers in Orchard on June 23 after being caught smoking in a non-designated area. Lin Liangjun, 32, faces four charges for offering S$160 (RM560) to four police officers on June 24 to avoid further identity checks following a traffic accident. All 12 enforcement officers involved were reported to have rejected the bribes. Singapore law prescribes a maximum sentence of five years in jail and a fine of up to S$100,000 (RM350,000) upon conviction. CPIB investigations revealed the five accused had allegedly paid their bailors to help secure their release and bail extensions. The Singapore daily reported that CPIB officers yesterday took Xiao to Geylang Lorong 20, where he allegedly handed cash to his bailors outside the New Cathay Hotel. The five accused have been denied bail after prosecutors argued that allowing them to be free posed 'a real risk of collusion, not just amongst themselves, but with other individuals who are currently being investigated' as they had committed new offences previously. The judge ordered that all five be remanded pending their next court date on August 1.
CNA
03-06-2025
- Health
- CNA
Jail for man who offered S$53 'kopi money' to officers who caught him selling sexual enhancement drugs
SINGAPORE: A man caught selling sexual enhancement medication in Geylang repeatedly tried to offer S$53 (US$41) in "kopi money'' to two officers so that they would not investigate him over the illicit activity. Chen Shaowei, who offered the bribe no fewer than seven times, said he was under the impression that - like officers from some other countries - these officers would "go away" once given the money to "drink coffee". Chen, a 39-year-old Chinese national, was sentenced to 14 weeks' jail on Tuesday (Jun 3), after he pleaded guilty to one count of corruption and one count of using criminal force on a senior security officer who seized his sexual enhancement medication. Another two charges of a similar nature were considered for his sentencing. Chen was spotted beside a makeshift table with what appeared to be sexual enhancement medication on May 31, 2023. The two officers who interacted with him then were Mr Mohammad Alfa Ramli, a technical specialist employed by the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) and Mr Chai Kit Wey, an Aetos Auxillary Police Officer attached to the HotSpots Operation Team of the HSA. The two were partners were on an operation to disrupt the sale of illegal health products at Geylang that day. Upon seeing Chen, Mr Alfa approached him and placed his hand on his shoulder. Chen tried to flee but Mr Alfa patted him on the shoulders and told him to sit down. As Chen could not speak English, Mr Alfa asked Mr Chai for help to obtain his particulars, but Chen refused to cooperate. He tried to deny that the medication was his and dithered when asked when he had arrived in Singapore. At one point, Chen took out S$53 in cash from his back pocket and offered it to Mr Chai. Mr Alfa pushed Chen's arm away. They warned Chen against bribery, but Chen persisted in offering the "kopi money", even after he was placed under arrest. "When the accused was later interviewed, he admitted that he had learned the word 'kopi' while in Malaysia and that he was under the impression that Mr Chai and Mr Alfa were like the officers in China and Malaysia – that is, that they would 'let (him) go' and 'go away' once he gives them money to 'drink coffee'," the prosecution said. Chen admitted to offering both officers "money for kopi" so that they would stop asking him about his stay in Singapore and about the medication. He was arrested and released on bail on Jun 1, 2023. PUSHED OFFICER About a year later, while on bail, Chen had another encounter with officers over sexual enhancement drugs. On May 24, 2024, officers from the Certis CISCO Auxiliary Police Force seized the medication from a red container in Geylang after a tip-off from a owner of a nearby store. At about 10.27pm, Chen approached the officers aggressively and tried to snatch the bag of medication. He shouted in Mandarin to ask why the officers were taking his drugs when he did not display them. One of the officers tried to hold off Chen, who then pushed him in the chest and upper arms while trying to grab the bag. He then shoved the officer holding the bag, grabbed the stash and fled. The incident was captured by a body-worn camera. Chen was arrested the next day and released on bail. Chen's lawyer John Koh from Avalon Law Corporation sought three months' jail for his client, less than the prosecution's proposed four-month jail term. Mr Koh said Chen had offered bribes in the "spur of the moment". Similarly for his client's charge of using criminal force, Mr Koh said the offence was in "the heat of the moment".
