A total of 110 persons, aged between 20 and 70, are being investigated for their suspected involvement in various illicit activities following a joint enforcement operation conducted from April 26 to 28, 2023.

The operation was led by officers from Tanglin Division and Criminal Investigation Department, and supported by officers from the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority and Health Sciences Authority.

Massage establishments

As part of enforcement efforts against vice activities, police raided various massage establishments and commercial units located at Toa Payoh, Bukit Timah, River Valley and Sin Ming Road.

A total of 48 women, aged between 20 and 47, are being investigated for offences under the Women’s Charter 1961.

Illegal gambling

Following an enforcement operation conducted in the vicinity of Bishan and Toa Payoh to tackle unlawful gambling activities, 11 persons, aged between 54 and 70, are being investigated for offences under the Gambling Control Act 2022, and their suspected involvement in various roles, such as illegal bookmakers, runners and punters.

Cash amounting to S$2,022, mobile phones and other gambling paraphernalia were seized as case exhibits.

Under the Gambling Control Act 2022, anyone who is found to be involved in unlawful betting operations shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding S$200,000 and imprisonment for a term of up to five years.

Under the same act, any person who gambles with an unlawful gambling service provider shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding S$10,000, imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months, or both.

Police also raided two offices located in a building along Burn Road where 19 persons, aged between 21 and 65, were allegedly found gaming remotely.

More than S$5,000 in cash, computers and electronic hardware facilitating remote gaming were seized as case exhibits.

Public entertainment outlets

Officers from ICA and HSA took part in a joint enforcement operation with police targeting public entertainment outlets located at Orchard Road.

Six women were arrested for working without a valid work permit under the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act 1990, and 11 electronic vaporisers were seized.

It is an offence under the Tobacco (Control of Advertisements and Sale) Act 1993 to sell, possess for sale, import or distribute e-vaporisers and their related components.

Any person who is convicted is liable to a fine of up to S$10,000, or imprisonment of up to six months or both for the first offence; and a fine of up to S$20,000 or imprisonment of up to 12 months or both for the second or subsequent offence.

It is also an offence for anyone to possess, purchase or use e-vaporisers and their related components. The penalty is a fine of up to S$2,000 per offence.

Unlicensed moneylending activities

Another 26 persons, aged between 17 and 69, are being investigated for their suspected involvement in unlicensed moneylending activities, and for operating as money mules.

The offences include the following:

Under the Moneylenders Act 2008, the offence of carrying on or assisting in a business of unlicensed moneylending carries an imprisonment term of up to four years, a fine between S$30,000 and S$300,000, and caning of up to six strokes.

• The offence of cheating under Section 420 of the Penal Code 1871 carries an imprisonment term of up to 10 years and a fine.
• The offence of money laundering under the Corruption, Drug Trafficking and Other Serious Crimes (Confiscation of Benefits) Act 1992 carries an imprisonment term of up to 10 years, a fine of up to S$500,000, or both.
• The offence of carrying on a business to provide any type of payment service in Singapore without a licence under Section 5 of the Payment Services Act 2019 carries a fine of up to S$125,000, an imprisonment term of up to three years, or both.

All photos via Singapore Police Force