SINGAPORE EXPANDS PREDICATE OFFENSES LIST TO COMBAT

UNCLAS SINGAPORE 001578

SIPDIS

SIPDIS
STATE FOR INL ERINDLER, L/LEI DBUCHHOLZ, AND EB/ESC/TFS
JUSTICE FOR OIA SROBINSON AND AFMLS

TREASURY FOR PDEGERABEDIAN AND FINCEN RMILLER

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KCRM KTFN ETTC KTFN EFIN SNAR SENV PHUM KIPR
EAGR, SN

SUBJECT: SINGAPORE EXPANDS PREDICATE OFFENSES LIST TO COMBAT
MONEY LAUNDERING AND TERRORIST FINANCE

REF: 05 SINGAPORE 3516


1. In a move to strengthen its ability to combat money
laundering and terrorist finance, Singapore's Ministry of
Home Affairs (MHA) recently expanded its list of predicate
offenses under which suspected individuals can be
prosecuted. The amended Corruption, Drug Trafficking, and
Other Serious Crimes (Confiscation of Benefits) Act of 1999
(CDSA),which went into effect May 8, now criminalizes the
laundering of proceeds from 292 categories of serious
offenses, including ones committed overseas, which would be
serious offenses if they had been committed in Singapore.
Previously, MHA limited its list to 184 offenses. The
additional predicate offenses can be viewed at:
http://www.egazette.com.sg/Document/sls/2006/ 060254.pdf


2. Singapore's amended list appears to align more closely
with the Financial Action Task Force's (FATF) "designated
categories of offenses" as defined in FATF Recommendation
One. For the first time, it includes offenses related to
terrorist financing, illicit arms trafficking,
counterfeiting and piracy of products, environmental crime,
and insider trading and market manipulation. The amendment
supplements offenses contained in the previous Schedule
covering areas such as trafficking in human beings and
migrant smuggling, and sexual exploitation of children.
With an eye on Singapore's two new multibillion dollar
casinos slated to be operational in 2009, the list also
addresses a number of gambling-related crimes.


3. Singapore's Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters Act of
2000 limits its ability to cooperate with other countries
unless an offense is on its list of "serious offenses"
(reftel). The limited number of crimes in the "serious
offenses" list has been an obstacle in our efforts to
conclude a Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT). This
expanded list covers many, but not all, of our concerns.


4. The following Acts (and number of new offenses, unless
otherwise indicated) are covered in the revised CDSA list.

Animal and Birds Act (6)
Arms and Explosives Act (8)
Arms Offences Act (1)
Betting Act (3)
CDSA (2 existing; no new offenses)
Chemical Weapons (Prohibition) Act (1)
Children and Young Persons Act (1 existing; 3 new)
Commodity Trading Act (1)
Common Gaming Houses (2)
Computer Misuse Act (7)
Control of Plants Act (5)
Copyright Act (3)
Corrosive and Explosive Substances and Offensive Weapons Act
(1 existing; no new offenses)
Criminal Law (Temporary Provisions) Act(1)
Endangered Species (Import and Export) Act 2006 (3)
Environmental Pollution Control Act (3)
Explosive Substances Act (3)
Feeding Stuffs Act (1)
Hazardous Waste (Control of Export, Import and Transit) Act
(4)
Hijacking of Aircraft and Protection of Aircraft and
International Airports Act (4 existing; no new offenses)
Human Organ Transplant Act (1)
Immigration Act (2)
Internal Security Act (3)
Kidnapping Act (3 existing; no new offenses)
Medicines Act (2)
Monetary Authority of Singapore Act (1 - terrorist finance)
Moneylenders Act (2 existing; no new offenses)
Penal Code (156 existing; 16 new)
Poisons Act (1)
Prevention of Corruption Act (8 existing; no new offenses)
Sale of Food Act, Food Regulation (1)
Securities and Futures Act (3)
Societies Act (6)
Strategic Goods Act (2)
Termination of Pregnancy Act (2 existing; no new offenses)
Terrorism (Suppression of Financing) Act ((4)
Trade Marks Act (4)
United Nations Act - Anti-Terrorism Measures (1)

Vandalism Act (1 existing; no new offenses)
Wholesome Meat and Fish Act (2)
Wild Animals and Birds Act (1)
Women's Charter (4 existing; 3 new)

HERBOLD