In pictures: 38 arrested for gambling, vice activities in police raids

SINGAPORE: A total of 38 people were arrested in police raids targeting gambling and vice activities over a three-day operation from Wednesday (May 16) to Friday.

The Singapore Police Force (SPF) said the raids were at Jalan Besar, Beach Road, Bencoolen Street, Telok Blangah Rise, Jalan Minyak, Owen Road, Hong Kong Street, Topaz Road, Aliwal Street, Trengganu Street, King George’s Ave, Syed Alwi Road, Victoria Street and Bendemeer Road.  

Officers arrested 19 men and 19 women between the ages of 21 and 80 for vice, gambling and immigration-related offences. 

Among them were 11 women believed to have been providing paid sexual services at hotels and rented apartments while in Singapore on employment passes and short-term visit passes. They were arrested for offences under the Women’s Charter. 

Fifteen men and seven women were arrested for remote gambling-related offences along King George’s Ave, Telok Blangah Rise, Jalan Minyak, Beach Road and Bendemeer, the police said, adding that S$2,400 was seized from them. 

The remaining four men were arrested for immigration-related offences while a woman was arrested for using criminal force against a public servant, they added. 

Journalists were invited to join police officers for a gambling raid at King George’s Avenue and later a vice operation at Syed Alwi Road on Friday, the last day of the operation.

After plainclothes police officers descended on a coffee shop along King George’s Avenue at around 7.30pm, Channel NewsAsia arrived at the scene and noticed several men had been taken aside for suspected illegal horse-betting.

Officers found some of the men – including an 80-year-old – possessed betting slips. While some sat quietly, others protested loudly and argued with officers.

After an hour, the suspects were handcuffed and led away in a police vehicle.

Later at 10.30pm, Channel NewsAsia accompanied officers to Syed Alwi Road for a vice operation. In the thick of the crowd, we spotted plainclothes officers questioning two Indian national women who had been soliciting at nearby coffee shops.

Moments later, another two women were arrested further down the road at another coffee shop for offences under the Women’s Charter.

All four women are believed to be part of a syndicate and suspected of providing sexual services from hotels and rental apartments while in Singapore on employment passes and short-term visit passes. 

In a statement, the police said they would “spare no effort” to clamp down on vice and criminal activities. 

“Those found engaging in illicit activities will be dealt with sternly in accordance with the law,” the statement said.

Landlords and hotel owners are to ensure that tenants do not carry out vice activities in their premises, the police said. 

Under the Women’s Charter, unlicensed brothel operators can be punished with a fine of up to S$10,000 and up to five years’ imprisonment. Any person who knowingly lives wholly or in part on the earnings of the prostitution of another person can also be jailed up to five years and fined up to S$10,000.

Any person found guilty of gaming in any public can also be fined up to S$5,000 and jailed up to six months.

Investigations against all suspects are ongoing, the police said.