Residents from a Kovan condominium are not getting a happy ending despite living in a nice neighbourhood.
Allegedly harassed by masseurs
Speaking to Mothership, a resident who wanted to be known as Lim said that they have been consistently harassed by staff from a massage parlour for the past month.
The masseurs would dress in a provocative manner and hang around the shop front, the resident added.
Screenshot via Mothership reader
They allegedly operate by approaching men of all ages to offer sexual services, even if the men were not interested.
Lim told Mothership that he had been harassed on the way home multiple times, with the masseurs quoting between S$30 to S$150 for different "services."
He was not the only victim.
Another resident in her 40s that Mothership spoke to said that her husband, while on his way home, had been ambushed by the women on several occasions as well.
In another instance, Lim said that a masseuse had allegedly approached a man who was with his wife. The family had come to pick up their child from a Taekwondo studio along the same stretch.
According to Lim, the masseuse apparently tried to drag the man into their shop, causing an "uproar."
Both Lim and the resident said that the store would appear closed, only for a masseuse to "pop up" when a potential customer is detected nearby.
When we visited around 9:20pm at night, there was no movement in the shop.
Photo by Mandy How
Two men were observed smoking near its premises, but there was no indication if they were affiliated with the parlour.
A third person that Mothership spoke to is a 23-year-old whose office is located at the development.
Besides witnessing the masseurs "actively luring customers," the female worker was also once approached by a staff, who asked her if she worked around the area and if so, which unit in particular.
Well-known parlour
While the store has been operating from as far back as two years ago, things took a turn for the worse when the business started expanding in February 2020.
One night, Lim was asked by a taxi driver if he was "going to find prostitute."
The driver, who was driving Lim home, told him that the service at this place was "very good."
When Lim asked the driver how he came to know about it, the driver replied that he had ferried a number of customers, who had heard about the massage parlour through forums.
Screenshot via Mothership reader
Subsequently, due to Covid-19 restrictions, residents were left with only one route to enter the compound, a route that necessitates passing by the shop.
During the day, Lim said that he has seen secondary school students, still wearing their uniform, enter the shop.
At night, the place becomes a "mini Geylang," much to the dismay of the residents.
Multiple police reports have since been made by the "traumatised" residents.
Police aware
In response to queries from Mothership, the police said that they are aware of illegal massage establishments operating in the area.
"The Police have conducted multiple enforcement operations at the said location and detected multiple breaches under Section 5(1) of the Massage Establishments Act 2017. Massage beds, chairs, signboards, and massage paraphernalia were seized," the authority added.
Police investigations are ongoing.
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Top photo by Mandy How, Mothership reader