The Police are investigating 285 persons following island-wide enforcement checks on 152 public entertainment and nightlife outlets between 24 January 2022 and 26 March 2022.
The operators of 27 licensed and unlicensed public entertainment and nightlife outlets were allegedly found to have committed various breaches under the Public Entertainments Act 1958, the Liquor Control (Supply and Consumption) Act 2015 and the COVID-19 (Temporary Measures) (Control Order) Regulations 2020 and the COVID-19 (Temporary Measures) (Reopening – Control Order) 2022. The 285 persons being investigated comprise operators, staff and customers, and investigations are on-going.
Details of three incidents where public entertainment was provided without a licence and breaches of the prevailing Safe Management Measures (SMM) that were in place during the operations were detected, are appended below:
- For the first incident, on 6 March 2022, officers from Bedok Police Division responded to a call and found an unlicensed ‘KTV-concept’ outlet operating within a private landed residential property along Waringin Walk. Police purportedly found seven men and four women, aged between 24 and 36, gathered within the property for use of facilities such as karaoke systems, a poker table and dice games, which were made available in private rooms. Liquor was allegedly supplied illegally as well. Amongst the 11 persons, two men, aged 24 and 28, were believed to be the operators of the unlicensed ‘KTV-concept’ outlet and are being investigated for allegedly providing public entertainment without a licence under the Public Entertainments Act 1958, supplying liquor without a valid licence under the Liquor Control (Supply and Consumption) Act 2015, and failing to ensure the closure of a non-permitted enterprise under the COVID-19 (Temporary Measures) (Control Order) Regulations 2020. The five men and four women, who were patrons at the unit, will be investigated under the COVID-19 (Temporary Measures) (Control Order) Regulations 2020 for allegedly being a part of a social gathering which exceeds the prevailing limit of five persons in place then.
- For the second incident, on 8 March 2022, officers from Tanglin Police Division conducted an operation at a private landed residential property located along Andrew Road and detected 23 men and 14 women, aged between 20 to 39, purportedly patronising an unlicensed ‘KTV-concept’ outlet within the unit. The unit was furnished with a karaoke system, a darts machine and a pool table. Liquor was allegedly supplied illegally to patrons as well. A 52-year-old man, who is the property’s tenant, was later identified as the purported operator of the unlicensed ‘KTV-concept’ outlet and is being investigated for allegedly providing public entertainment without a licence under the Public Entertainments Act 1958, supplying liquor without a valid licence under the Liquor Control (Supply and Consumption) Act 2015, and for failing to ensure the closure of a non-permitted enterprise under the COVID-19 (Temporary Measures) (Control Order) Regulations 2020. The 23 men and 14 women, who were patrons at the unit, will be investigated under the COVID-19 (Temporary Measures) (Control Order) Regulations 2020 for allegedly being a part of a social gathering which exceeds the prevailing limit of five persons in place then.
- Lastly, from 1 to 26 March 2022, officers from Tanglin Police Division, with support from officers from the Singapore Food Agency (SFA), jointly conducted a series of enforcement operations. During enforcement operations against unlicensed ‘KTV-concept’ outlets along Sophia Road and Irving Place, two men, aged 19 and 20, were detected and identified as the purported operators of three unlicensed ‘KTV-concept’ outlets across these two locations. The outlets were operated out of office-cum-industrial units, providing karaoke systems and supplying liquor in private rooms. A total of 30 men and 10 women, aged between 17 and 36, were allegedly found patronising these outlets. The two men were arrested for the purported supply of liquor without a licence under the Liquor Control (Supply and Consumption) Act 2015 and will be investigated under the Public Entertainments Act 1958 for providing public entertainment without a licence, as well as under the COVID-19 (Temporary Measures) (Control Order) Regulations 2020 and the COVID-19 (Temporary Measures) (Reopening – Control Order) 2022. The patrons will also be investigated under the COVID-19 (Temporary Measures) (Control Order) Regulations 2020 and the COVID-19 (Temporary Measures) (Reopening – Control Order) 2022.
The offences of supplying liquor without a valid licence and providing public entertainment without a valid licence, each carry a fine of up to $20,000. For non-compliance with safe distancing measures under the COVID-19 (Temporary Measures) (Control Order) Regulations 2020 and the COVID-19 (Temporary Measures) (Reopening – Control Order) 2022, individuals found guilty may be jailed for up to six months, fined up to S$10,000, or both.
The Police will continue to carry out regular enforcement checks on public entertainment and nightlife establishments to suppress illicit activities. Members of the public and businesses are advised to take the prevailing safe management measures seriously. The Police have zero tolerance for irresponsible behavior relating to the flouting of these measures and offenders will be dealt with firmly in accordance with the law.
SINGAPORE POLICE FORCE
05 April 2022 @ 5:30 PM