Over 1,700 under police probe following islandwide multi-agency operations in June

SINGAPORE – More than 1,700 people are being investigated for various offences following a series of multi-agency operations conducted islandwide from June 1 to 28.

In a statement on July 5, the police said those under probe comprised 1,173 men and 603 women aged between 15 and 85. Among them, 519 were arrested.

More than 5,600 officers from the seven police land divisions, the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and the Traffic Police worked with the Central Narcotics Bureau, the Singapore Civil Defence Force, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) and the Health Sciences Authority (HSA).

Together, they conducted over 1,300 operations against various offences, including criminal offences under the Women’s Charter and Societies Act, vaporiser-related offences, traffic violations, immigration offences and illegal employment offences.

On June 4 and 10, officers from the Woodlands Police Division conducted two anti-gambling raids in Sembawang Road and Yishun Street 61, where 12 men and five women, aged between 34 and 72, were arrested. Cash amounting to more than $4,740 and gambling-related paraphernalia were seized.

On June 26, officers from the Ang Mo Kio Police Division conducted a joint enforcement operation in Sengkang and Punggol, supported by officers from the CID and LTA.

During the operation, LTA detected 25 offences and seized 15 active mobility devices (AMDs). The offences included the use of non-compliant AMDs and the failure to register personal mobility devices, among other active mobility-related offences.

Three teenagers aged between 16 and 19 were also arrested for being suspected members of unlawful societies.

Several enforcement operations targeting massage establishments and vice activities were also conducted, including one on June 6 in Jalan Mas Puteh, where two outlets were found to be providing massage services without a valid licence. Vice activities were also detected at the outlets.

Eight women aged between 29 and 48 were arrested.

Another such operation was conducted between June 10 and June 13 by officers from the Tanglin Police Division, with support from the CID and HSA, targeting massage establishments, hotels, commercial units and public entertainment outlets in the vicinity of Balestier Road, Selegie Road, River Valley Road, Clarke Quay and Sinaran Drive.

A total of 41 women and four men aged between 24 and 47, as well as three massage establishments and three public entertainment outlets, are being investigated. Seven vaporisers were also seized.

The police said investigations into the 1,776 people are ongoing.

Senior Assistant Commissioner of Police Leon Chan, director of the SPF’s operations department, commended the officers from all the enforcement agencies for their professionalism and dedication.

“Public safety and security are a shared responsibility. The police, together with partner agencies across the whole of government, will continue to use coordinated and targeted enforcement actions to prevent, detect and deter crime,” he said, adding that those who choose to engage in criminal activity will be dealt with to the fullest extent of the law.