The government of Singapore has toughened its penal legislation and announced that, starting next December 30, criminals convicted of fraud can receive up to 24 lashes, in a drastic attempt to curb the rise in fraud cases in the country.
According to the Argentine News Agency, the measure has already been approved by Parliament and officially ratified. It establishes a scale of physical punishments depending on the degree of participation in the crime, in addition to a considerable increase in financial fines.
The Ministry of the Interior stated in a press release that with this decision, it "seeks to guarantee that these types of crimes are reduced in the face of the challenges they pose," emphasizing that the fight against fraud has become a matter of state.
The new legislation specifies that the penalties will apply to both the material authors and those who collaborate with criminal networks.
"Fighting fraud is a national priority. The number of cases of this type remains alarming. Those convicted of this crime will be subject to different penalties, ranging from six lashes to a maximum of 24 for scammers and those who recruit them," details the official text disseminated by the authorities.
Likewise, the legislation reaches the intermediate links in the criminal chain, clarifying that "those who facilitate this type of activity and launder their proceeds can be subject to twelve lashes," making a direct reference to those who provide SIM cards or personal credentials to facilitate the work of scammers.
