31 people arrested for vice activities and illegal gambling
Arrests made when police conducted home raids in Jalan Bukit Merah and Beach Road, among other areas
When police raided a flat in Chay Yan Street in Tiong Bahru on Saturday night, they found a man having sex with a woman believed to be an illegal sex worker.
The officers used a battering ram to enter the second-storey unit as illegal activities were believed to be happening there.
The woman was among three who were arrested in the four-room flat. There were two men there as well.
The raid was part of an operation conducted by officers from the Central Police Division from last Wednesday to Sunday in Telok Blangah Crescent, Jalan Besar, Geylang Bahru, Beach Road, Jalan Bukit Merah and Chinatown.
A total of 23 men and eight women, aged between 24 and 76, were arrested for allegedly committing various offences including illegal gambling and vice activities.
The media were invited to two raids that started on Saturday at about 9pm and ended on Sunday morning.
The three women - aged between 24 and 28 - were arrested for vice-related offences under the Women's Charter.
Police said they were believed to have advertised sexual services online. Several condoms and lubricants were seized during the raid.
Earlier on Saturday night, four men were arrested for suspected involvement in illegal gambling. Aged between 54 and 76, they were nabbed for offences under the Common Gaming Houses Act.
They were arrested in a third-storey unit at Golden Mile Complex that belongs to Shen Lin Shan Hua Tan Association.
When the media entered the premises, three mahjong tables were seen. One of them had tiles on it. There were also ashtrays with cigarette butts, on stools beside the table.
The owner of a Buddhist supplies store opposite the unit, who wanted to be known only as Mr Wang, told TNP he had not heard any noise from the unit in the past week.
He did, however, see the lights on daily between 1am and 2am.
LAW
Under the Common Gaming Houses Act, anyone who games in a common gaming house can be fined up to $5,000, jailed for up to six months, or both.
Those who knowingly allow their premises to be used for vice-related activities concerning women will be prosecuted under the Women's Charter and can be jailed for up to three years, fined up to $3,000, or both.
Those acting as agents or pimps for vice-related activities can be fined up to $10,000 and jailed for up to five years.
Investigations are ongoing.
Get The New Paper on your phone with the free TNP app. Download from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store now
