SEVEN Sri Lankans who went on a shopping spree in Singapore were arrested with a haul of products worth about $20,000, bought with 18 counterfeit credit cards.

The Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) and Commercial Affairs Department (CAD) arrested the suspects on Nov 18, along with counterfeit credit cards, transaction receipts, a laptop, a card printer, and goods including electronics, sunglasses, gold jewellery, digital cameras and mobile phones.

ICA began monitoring the group of Sri Lankans when they received information that they were making intricate arrangements to enter Singapore for a shopping spree using counterfeit credit cards.

Thereafter, ICA officers gathered further information on the movement of these foreigners and tracked down where they were putting up in Singapore.

The combined forces from ICA and CAD moved into the targeted hotel room on Tuesday, at about 10.30pm.
The 4 Sri Lankan occupants were immediately placed under arrest.

Officers then staked out the vicinity and detained three other Sri Lankans suspects when they were returning to their hotel rooms. Another 10 counterfeit credit cards were found in their possession.

Police investigations into the case are ongoing.

A person convicted of possessing counterfeit credit cards may be imprisoned up to 15 years or be liable to a fine or both. The punishment for committing cheating is a jail term of up to 10 years, or a fine, or both.

Any foreigner found to be involved in illegal activities while in Singapore would be repatriated and banned from re-entering Singapore.