Written Reply to Parliamentary Question on Number of Criminal Cases Involving the Use of Instant Messaging Services by Companies Unregistered in Singapore in the Past Three Years

Question:

Mr Murali Pillai: To ask the Minister for Home Affairs over the past three years (a) how many criminal cases investigated by the Singapore Police Force and Central Narcotics Bureau involved the use of instant messaging services by companies which do not have registered businesses in Singapore; (b) whether these overseas companies generally cooperated with enforcement authorities in investigations; and (c) what are the identities of uncooperative companies, if any.

Answer:

Mr K Shanmugam, Minister for Home Affairs and Minister for Law:

1. The Singapore Police Force (SPF) and the Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) keep track of scam and drug cases respectively that involve the use of instant messaging services, but not for all criminal cases.

2. From January 2021 to November 2023, about 24,000 scam cases which involved the use of instant messaging services were reported to SPF. More than 95% of these cases involved the use of WhatsApp, Telegram and WeChat.

3. In the same period, CNB investigated about 600 suspected drug offenders who used Telegram to conduct drug transactions.

4. WhatsApp and WeChat are generally cooperative. Telegram, on the other hand, is less so.

5. We will continue to engage and work with instant messaging services and other social media platforms to tackle crimes in Singapore.