SINGAPORE \u2013 A total of 10 massage parlours in People\u2019s Park Complex, People\u2019s Park Centre and Syed Alwi Road were raided by the police on Feb 12. <\/p>\n
Of these, nine were unlicensed, and five were involved in vice activities.<\/p>\n
The police said seven women, aged 32 to 43, are being investigated.<\/p>\n
At an unlicensed outlet in People\u2019s Park Centre, members of the media were shown how a narrow shop space barely 3m wide had been divided into three sections.<\/p>\n
The front was a small reception, while the middle and back sections had massage beds.<\/p>\n
The massage areas in the back were illuminated by lamps with oriental designs and red bulbs.<\/p>\n
Items such as used wet wipes and contraceptives were found under one of the beds.<\/p>\n A massage parlour in People\u2019s Park Centre that was raided.<\/p>\n ST PHOTO: CHONG JUN LIANG<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n A woman who allegedly provided sexual services was arrested and is among the seven being questioned.<\/p>\n The police said the operations were part of efforts to clamp down on illicit activities in the heartland, and added that they will continue to conduct regular enforcement checks.<\/p>\n Superintendent Edwin Yong, head of operations at Central Police Division, said the raids targeted massage outlets in People\u2019s Park Complex and People\u2019s Park Centre.<\/p>\n \u201cThese outlets have allegedly provided sexual services under the guise of massage services,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n The raids come after several MPs recently raised concerns about a rise in massage establishments seen in the heartland.<\/p>\n In September, Tanjong Pagar GRC MP Foo Cexiang <\/p>\n vowed to push for a refresh of Tanjong Pagar Plaza<\/p>\n <\/a> amid concerns over vice activities in some beauty and massage parlours there.<\/p>\n Phones, passports and work documents were seized from workers at a massage parlour in People\u2019s Park Centre.<\/p>\n ST PHOTO: CHONG JUN LIANG<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n It was reported in January that about <\/p>\n 10 massage and spa establishments<\/p>\n <\/a> in the mall had shut down amid a police crackdown.<\/p>\n During the February Parliament sitting, Jalan Besar GRC MP Denise Phua also called for a review of regulations concerning massage businesses.<\/p>\n She highlighted the issue in an adjournment motion, saying that some residents were uncomfortable with the solicitation activities outside some massage establishments.<\/p>\n Senior Minister of State for National Development Sun Xueling responded, saying that <\/p>\n the authorities take a \u201cthree-strikes\u201d approach<\/p>\n <\/a>, and that the Housing Board and the police also worked with private owners of the HDB shops to evict close to 40 massage establishment operators in 2025.<\/p>\n The number of massage establishment licences issued has decreased over the past three years, with 907 given out in 2023, 877 in 2024 and 868 in 2025.<\/p>\n Vice activities in such licensed establishments were detected 45, 40 and 30 times over the three years, respectively.<\/p>\n The authorities said they were aware of disamenities caused by errant operators of massage establishments, and that the <\/p>\n police were currently reviewing the Massage Establishments Act,<\/p>\n <\/a> with changes to be announced soon.<\/p>\n Under the Act, operators of massage establishments have to obtain a licence from the police, with exemptions for open-concept massage establishments and beauty salons and hair salons that do not provide massage services.<\/p>\n But vice operators have been known to register their businesses as beauty salons instead, and in recent times, as <\/p>\n hair salons as well<\/p>\n <\/a>, to avoid the licensing scheme.<\/p>\n Deputy Assistant Commissioner Wong Keng Hoe, commander of the Central Police Division, urged people to report suspicious activities to the police.<\/p>\n \u201cThese illegal operations undermine legitimate businesses that operate lawfully. We will not allow such activities to fester and will take deterrent action against offenders,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/picture><\/div>
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