14 women, aged between 22 and 49, were arrested in anti-vice operations conducted by Ang Mo Kio Police Division at residential units in Sembawang and Sengkang in December 2017.
13 women were arrested under the Women’s Charter for suspected involvement in vice-related activities. A 31-year-old woman was arrested for working without a valid work permit. Cash amounting to S$1,970 and mobile phones were seized as case exhibits.
Preliminary investigations suggest that the 14 women were advertising sexual services on websites and were operating in residential areas.
Investigations will also be carried out against the house owners.
Any person who contravenes the offence of being the tenant, lessee or occupier or person in charge of a brothel and the offence of keeping, managing or assisting in the management of a brothel under Section 148 of the Women’s Charter, Chapter 353, are liable on conviction to a fine of up to a maximum of $10,000, or to imprisonment of up to five years, or both. In addition, any person who contravenes the offence of knowingly lives wholly or in part on the earnings of the prostitution of another person, e.g. receiving rental earnings from the prostitutes, is liable on conviction to imprisonment for a term not exceeding five years and shall also be liable to a fine not exceeding S$10,000.
The Police will spare no effort in clamping down on online vice activities, especially those operating in the heartlands. The Police would also like to advise house owners to be diligent in ensuring that their tenants do not carry out vice activities in their units.
SINGAPORE POLICE FORCE
29 December 2017 @ 6:00 PM