The Police have arrested 35 persons, aged between 25 and 58, for their suspected involvement in vice-related activities.
Between 12 November 2024 and 3 December 2024, officers from Clementi Police Division, the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and the Housing & Development Board (HDB) raided one massage establishment, and five other outlets believed to be operating as Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) outlets and providing massage services, along Jurong East Avenue 1 and Jurong East Street 31.
Eight women, aged between 34 and 49, were arrested for allegedly providing sexual services at TCM outlets and a massage establishment. A 58-year-old man was arrested for managing a place of assignation under Section 147 of the Women’s Charter 1961. Preliminary investigations revealed that one of the five TCM outlets was not registered as a place of practice by any TCM practitioner. In addition, the massage establishment did not have a valid Massage Establishment licence and was found to have displayed an invalid TCM practising certificate and registration certificate which belonged to a business that was previously occupying the unit. The operators of the six outlets are under Police investigation for providing massage services in an establishment for massage without a valid licence under Section 5(1) of the Massage Establishments Act 2017.
In a separate operation on 6 December 2024, officers from CID, Bedok Police Division, and Immigration & Checkpoints Authority conducted a raid at a hotel in the vicinity of Geylang Lorong 12, resulting in the arrest of 26 persons, aged between 25 and 29, for their suspected involvement in vice-related activities. A 42-year-old woman who allegedly facilitated the operations of syndicated vice activities was arrested under the Women’s Charter 1961. Investigations against her and the other persons are ongoing.
The Police will continue to take tough enforcement actions against those involved in vice activities. Under the Women’s Charter 1961,
- Any person who knowingly solicits, receives or agrees to receive any gratification as an inducement or reward for providing any service, and who by providing that service does or will aid the prostitution of another person (being a woman or girl), shall be liable on conviction to imprisonment for a term of up to seven years and shall also be liable to a fine of up to $100,000.
- Any person who keeps, manages or assists in the management of a place of assignation, shall be liable on conviction to imprisonment for a term of up to five years and shall also be liable to a fine of up to $100,000
Individuals found guilty of carrying on a business of providing massage services in an establishment for massage without a valid licence under Section 5(1) of the Massage Establishments Act 2017 are liable to a fine of up to $10,000, an imprisonment term of up to two years, or both. Repeat offenders are liable to a fine of up to $20,000, or an imprisonment term of up to five years, or both.
Under the Massage Establishments (Exemption) Order 2018, any premises used for the treatment of individuals seeking massage administered by an individual who is registered under Section 14 of the Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioners Act 2000 and has in force a practising certificate issued under section 17 of that Act are exempted from the provisions of the Massage Establishments Act. However, if the TCM practitioner does not personally administer the massage but the premises engages other non-TCM practitioner(s) to administer the massage, he must either notify the Police that he is operating an open-concept massage establishment or apply for a licence to operate a massage establishment from the Police. Individuals found guilty of working without a valid work pass under Section 5(2) of the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act 1990 are liable to a fine of up to $20,000, an imprisonment term of up to two years, or both.
[Photos of raid and arrests made]▼
SINGAPORE POLICE FORCE
13 December 2024 @ 3:10 PM