75 nabbed in raids at massage parlours, entertainment outlets

SINGAPORE — Police arrested 75 people for various criminal and employment-related offences in a series of raids from last Thursday to yesterday, at unlicensed massage parlours and public entertainment outlets. They also took action against some of these businesses for flouting licensing conditions.

In a press release yesterday, the police said the enforcement operations led by officers from Tanglin division covered Orchard Road, Upper Thomson Road, Upper Paya Lebar Road and Balestier Road. In total, eight massage parlours and eight public entertainment outlets were raided.

The arrested included 66 women and nine men who ranged in age from 19 to 51. These operations were part of ongoing enforcement efforts against crime and licensing infringements at unlicensed massage establishments and public entertainment outlets, the police added.

In April, 13 massage parlour operators in Chinatown, Little India, Lavender Street, Jalan Sultan and Coleman Street were charged in court for running massage establishments without valid licences. The month before, a four-day anti-crime operation uncovered 20 public entertainment outlets and 19 massage establishments found to have licensing breaches, such as overcrowding and unlicensed massage services.