Singapore police did not arrest fugitive due to no request from China

Singapore police did not arrest Chinese national Yan Zhenxing, who was wanted for allegedly laundering 130 million yuan (approximately S$24 million), because there was no formal extradition request from Chinese authorities, Bloomberg reported on Saturday.

This clarification followed Yan’s arrest in Indonesia earlier this month.

Yan, a Singapore permanent resident in his 40s, was apprehended on 2 December 2024 by Indonesian immigration officers at Batam’s cross-border ferry terminal. Officials flagged Yan during a routine Border Control Management system check, which revealed an Interpol Red Notice issued by the Beijing National Central Bureau.

According to Yuldi Yusman, Director of Immigration Supervision and Enforcement, Yan was attempting to board a ferry to Singapore with his family when he was detained. He was later transferred to Jakarta, where his arrest was confirmed on 5 December.

Chinese authorities in Inner Mongolia allege that Yan facilitated the laundering of 130 million yuan through a criminal online gambling syndicate.

Despite these allegations, Singapore police told Bloomberg that an Interpol Red Notice does not empower them to arrest fugitives wanted by foreign jurisdictions.

“The police would only be able to do so pursuant to an extradition request that fulfils legal requirements. We had not received any requests for assistance from the Chinese authorities,” the Singapore Police Force (SPF) and Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) said in a joint statement.

The agencies also clarified that no Interpol Red Notice existed when Yan was granted permanent residency in Singapore. They added that Yan is not under investigation locally and was not involved in the recent S$3 billion money laundering case that concluded on 18 November 2024.

Ten individuals—nine men and one woman—were arrested during the raids on 15 August 2023, which involved over 400 officers across Singapore. They were linked to organised criminal activities, including online gambling and scams, and were subsequently charged.

In 2024, these ten individuals were convicted, jailed, and subsequently deported. Their seized assets included luxury cars, jewellery, high-end watches, and rare collectibles.

That case recently saw 15 foreign nationals surrender assets worth approximately S$1.85 billion, raising the total recovered assets to nearly S$2.8 billion. Interpol red and blue notices against the suspects were withdrawn as part of a settlement facilitated by Singapore’s Attorney-General’s Chambers.

Yan’s case has sparked questions about Singapore’s approach to international fugitives and its enforcement of legal obligations.

According to Bloomberg, Yan has owned a local company, Raising (S) Pte Ltd, since 2015 and has listed himself as a sales director on Linkedin since March 2018. The firm is listed as an electronic component wholesaler and renovation contractor, with its registered address located in public housing, as stated in its ACRA filing.

Bloomberg further reported that Yan purchased the flat associated with the company’s address in 2016 with another Chinese national.

While it is said that Singapore does not arrest fugitives, the country has previously refused entry to individuals flagged by Interpol, such as Spanish fugitive Salvador Alejandro Llinas Onate, who was deported in October 2024.

One might argue that Singapore’s handling of Yan’s case appears inconsistent with its stated commitment to international law enforcement.

This issue also ties into broader criticisms of Singapore’s regulatory framework.

In an interview with The Guardian, Lee Hsien Yang, who has been granted asylum in the United Kingdom, alleged that Singapore facilitates global financial misconduct, describing its governance as “repressive.”

“There is a need for the world to look more closely, to see Singapore’s role as that key facilitator for arms trades, dirty money, drug monies, and crypto money,” Lee claimed.

The Singapore government rebutted Lee’s claims, highlighting Singapore’s strong regulatory measures against financial crimes and its consistently high ranking on Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index. It emphasised that the nation’s system is designed to deter and combat illicit financial flows.

The handling of Yan’s case, however, seems to align with Lee’s concerns, raising questions about whether Singapore’s image as a strict enforcer of financial regulations aligns with its actions.

As international attention focuses on this case, Singapore faces growing pressure to reconcile its domestic legal frameworks with its global reputation for regulatory excellence.

Separately, The Online Citizen contacted ICA for clarification on Yan’s residency status and how he was able to reside in Singapore despite the Interpol notice. No response was received from the ICA at the time of publication.