The Police have arrested eight women and a man, aged between 24 and 46, during a series of enforcement operations against massage establishments and public entertainment outlets along Temple Street, Foch Road, Jalan Besar, Cavan Road and Guan Chuan Street on 12 and 13 July 2018.
During the operations conducted by Central Police Division, one licensed massage establishment was found to have contravened licensing conditions. Two unlicensed massage establishments were detected and they were allegedly found to be offering sexual services. Two women, aged 27 and 31 were arrested for offences under the Women’s Charter and a 46-year-old woman was arrested for working without a valid work permit under the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act.
During the enforcement checks on public entertainment outlets, two outlets were found to have contravened licensing conditions. Five women, aged between 24 to 38, were arrested for working without a valid work permit under the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act. A 40-year-old man was also arrested for suspected drug offences under the Misuse of Drugs Act.
The Police will continue to take strong enforcement actions against unlicensed massage establishments, as well as errant licensed massage establishments. Actions will be taken against the operators for flouting the rules and regulations under the Public Entertainment Act and Massage Establishment Act (MEA).
The operators of the unlicensed massage establishments will be investigated and are liable for the enhanced penalties under the new MEA. If convicted, first time offenders will be sentenced to a fine of up to $10,000, or imprisonment of up to two years, or both. The maximum penalties for subsequent convictions will be doubled or more – a fine of up to $20,000, or imprisonment of up to five years, or both.
The Police may also issue a premises closure order to require an unlicensed massage establishment to be vacated and physically secured, if the operator continues to operate the unlicensed massage establishment, even after he has been charged in court. If the order is not complied with, the Police are empowered to take necessary steps, and use reasonable force, to enforce the closure of the premises.
Anyone who breaches the order may face a maximum fine of $15,000, or imprisonment of up to 3 years, or both. These orders will prevent recalcitrant unlicensed massage establishment operators from blatantly breaching the law whilst court proceedings against them are still ongoing.
The Police will also take action against landlords who knowingly lease their premises to unlicensed massage establishment operators. The Police will notify the landlord when their tenant has been charged in court for operating an unlicensed massage establishment. After the conviction of the tenant, the landlord must require the tenant to hand over possession of the premises within a month.
Landlords, who fail to do so, will be liable, if convicted, to a fine of up to $10,000, or imprisonment of up to two years, or both. The maximum penalties for subsequent convictions will be doubled or more – a fine of up to $20,000, or imprisonment of up to five years, or both.
SINGAPORE POLICE FORCE
13 July 2018 @ 4:00 PM