52 Singaporeans arrested in China, Singapore says

Singapore said Friday that 52 of its citizens had been arrested in China's southern Guangxi province on suspicion of involvement in pyramid schemes and related offences.

Singapore's foreign ministry and police said the arrests happened during a Chinese law-enforcement operation targeting suspected pyramid schemes. They did not say when the arrests took place.

The Singapore Police Force has contacted Chinese counterparts for more information, and Singaporean diplomats have visited the detained suspects to check on their well-being and provide consular assistance, the Singapore statement said.

China has not confirmed the arrests. Beijing's foreign ministry told AFP that Chinese authorities handle criminal cases involving foreign nationals “in accordance with the law”.

Singapore urged its citizens to be careful when invited to join schemes involving participant recruitment or large upfront payments, whether overseas or at home.