SINGAPORE — The police have launched investigations into two blacklisted mobile phone shops in Sim Lim Square, with plain-clothes officers yesterday raiding the premises and leaving with several boxes of computers, receipt books and mobile phone sets.

The two shops that were raided were De.Mac Gadget, registered as Mobile Apps, at #01-50 and Gadget Terminal at #02-80. They are among seven shops blacklisted by the Consumer Association of Singapore (CASE) in its latest monthly consumer alert published on its website, following complaints from customers. Between September and November, there were seven complaints against Mobile Apps and 14 against Gadget Terminal.

Responding to media queries, a police spokesperson confirmed that it has started investigations into two mobile phone retailers in Sim Lim Square following reports lodged against them.

Mr Gavin Chung, 32, who is the general manager of Gadget Terminal, said he was aware of the complaints and has been working with CASE to contact the affected customers. “Previously, my shop had very few complaints with CASE, but in these past three months, the number suddenly grew and I wanted to know how to fix the situation,” said Mr Chung. “I do not want such disputes to happen and I have done my best to resolve such situations. But if we cannot reach the customer, there is not much we can do.”

While he plans to reopen his shop today, he said he is worried about the bad press because of the police raid. “I need to eat and my workers need to eat. Some of my workers sell products at a higher price and customers feel they have been deceived. However, it is a two-way street. Both parties are responsible,” he said.

Yesterday’s raids came less than three weeks after the police conducted a similar raid in the same building on another mobile phone retailer, understood to be the former Mobile Air — which was reopened with a new name, HJ Mobile. Mobile Air had made headlines in recent weeks after it emerged that it had tried to issue a refund ordered by the Small Claims Tribunal with S$1,010 in coins. A Vietnamese tourist had also gone down on his knees to tearfully beg for a refund.

When TODAY arrived at the mall at about 1.30pm, the shutters of De.Mac Gadget were down, but people were seen entering and leaving the shop. More than an hour later, officers left the shop, carrying large cardboard boxes. Shortly after, two men trying to cover their faces from the media photographers ran out from the shop.

Officers were also seen leaving Gadget Terminal with several boxes containing a desktop, a laptop, receipt books and some mobile phone sets.

Other shop owners told TODAY that they were concerned about the frequency of the raids.

The shop manager of Mobile 22 — which is also among the CASE blacklist, with 14 complaints between September and November — said he fully expects his shop to be raided next.

Another shop manager, who declined to be named, said he hoped the authorities would better define what constitutes an offence. He added that the retailers are sometimes unsure of what exactly they are doing wrong.

Last Friday, CASE wrote to the management teams of Sim Lim Square and People’s Park Complex to ask them to change their rules and by-laws to make it mandatory for all landlords to ensure retailers run their businesses fairly.

CASE has said it hopes to get responses from the management committees by today. Failing which, it will contact them to arrange for meetings.