SINGAPORE, July 18 — Five Chinese citizens were charged in Singapore with corruption after allegedly offering bribes to enforcement officers in a scheme to prolong their stay in the country and sell illegal sex enhancement medications.

All five accused planned to get caught and charged in order to obtain Special Passes and be released on bail, The Straits Times reported today, citing the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB).

The CPIB claimed that doing so would allow them to continue operating in Singapore even while under investigation.

The group is believed to be acting under the direction of a Singaporean drug abuser, who has since been arrested and is under investigation by Singapore’s Central Narcotics Bureau.

The charges

Xiao Xiezhi, 43, was charged with offering more than S$400 (about RM1,400) to three National Environment Agency (NEA) officers after being caught smoking under a bus stop shelter on January 22.

Xu Zhishen, 37, was charged with offering S$119 (RM415) to two police officers near Sri Mariamman Temple on April 27.

Xu Bixin, 31, faces one charge for allegedly offering S$70 (RM245) to a police officer on May 3 to avoid an identity check.

Huang Chuangshun, 40, was charged for offering S$100 (RM350) to two NEA officers in Orchard on June 23 after being caught smoking in a non-designated area.

Lin Liangjun, 32, faces four charges for offering S$160 (RM560) to four police officers on June 24 to avoid further identity checks following a traffic accident.

All 12 enforcement officers involved were reported to have rejected the bribes.

Singapore law prescribes a maximum sentence of five years in jail and a fine of up to S$100,000 (RM350,000) upon conviction.

CPIB investigations revealed the five accused had allegedly paid their bailors to help secure their release and bail extensions.

The Singapore daily reported that CPIB officers yesterday took Xiao to Geylang Lorong 20, where he allegedly handed cash to his bailors outside the New Cathay Hotel.

The five accused have been denied bail after prosecutors argued that allowing them to be free posed “a real risk of collusion, not just amongst themselves, but with other individuals who are currently being investigated” as they had committed new offences previously.

The judge ordered that all five be remanded pending their next court date on August 1.