Police have arrested a total of 36 suspects, comprising two men and 34 women aged between 21 and 48, for their suspected involvement in vice-related activities in residential areas across Singapore.
In a two-day island-wide operation which ended on 8 July 2015, officers from the Ang Mo Kio Division, Jurong Division and Criminal Investigation Department (CID) conducted simultaneous raids at multiple locations in Singapore including Woodlands, Sembawang, Sengkang, Jurong West, Yishun, Chinatown and River Valley resulting in the arrests. During the operation, items such as boxes of condoms, lubricants, mobile phones, cash, contraband cigarettes and work documents which were believed to be forged, were also seized as case exhibits.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the women had advertised their sexual services online and carried out vice-related activities in residential units in different parts of the island. Investigations will be carried out against the premise owners, and Police will also alert the Housing Development Board (HDB) to the units believed to have been used to facilitate the vice-related activities, for HDB’s follow-up actions.
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, is 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 $10,000.
Head of the Specialised Crime Branch of CID, Superintendent of Police Lawrence Eng said, “Police will spare no effort in clamping down on syndicated vice activities, especially those operating in the heartlands. Police would also like to advise house owners to be diligent in ensuring that their tenants do not carry out illicit vice activities in their units.”
SINGAPORE POLICE FORCE
09 July 2015 @ 7:00 PM