A total of 26 women and 3 men were arrested in a multi-agency raid on Orchard Road KTV lounges between Mar. 1 and Mar. 2, 2024.

A Shin Min Daily News reporter who observed the operation saw at least four women and two men trying to escape during a raid on one of the KTV lounges.

She said they were intercepted, and the police officers asked them why they ran.

The operation, jointly conducted by officers from the Tanglin Police Division, the Criminal Investigation Department, the Ministry of Manpower, the Singapore Civil Defence Force, the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority and the Health Sciences Authority, started on a Friday (Mar. 1) night on around 10pm.

The Shin Min reporter and a Lianhe Zaobao reporter followed the enforcement officers to two KTV lounges, one located at Cuppage Plaza and the other at Far East Shopping Centre, where both joints were found in the basement.

While they were only allowed to enter the KTV lounges after the officers had gained control of the premises, the Shin Min reporter said she saw at least four women and two men trying to escape from the entrance of the Far East Shopping Centre establishment where she was waiting outside.

When she entered the KTV lounge, she felt the atmosphere was "tensed" as she saw officers questioning hostesses and patrons, and many were uncooperative.

She observed the premises to have around 40 hostesses, and they all wore "sexy clothing".

The Zaobao reporter noted that most of the hostesses were holding Vietnamese passports.

She also saw the "aftermath" of the officers' entry — bags, high heels, lipsticks, and even condoms strewn on the ground.

The two men who tried to escape were made to squat in a corridor for questioning. She heard a police officer ask them why they tried to escape, amongst other questions.

The reporter also saw a patron, who was intoxicated, escorted away from a room as he wanted to vomit.

Another patron was seen arguing with an officer over his alleged possession of vape products.

The officers rounded up the operation at around 3am on Mar. 2 and escorted more than 10 women and 2 men away in handcuffs.

Shin Min also noted that the operation at the Cuppage Plaza KTV lounge was less eventful and the 20 or so hostesses there were calmer.

62 people investigated for offences

The operation is part of a multi-agency islandwide crackdown on vice and illegal gambling, which saw 56 people arrested between Feb. 29 and Mar. 2, 2024.

A total of six others are being investigated for the possession of vape products.

Out of the 62 people aged between 21 and 75, 14 are men and 48 are women.

They are being investigated for alleged offences, such as illegal gambling, contravention of the Women's Charter, flouting the Societies Act and drug-related offences.

The police confiscated multiple vape products, cash, mobile phones and gambling equipment during the operation.

Investigations are ongoing.

Top image via Lianhe Zaobao