The Police will be charging four men, aged between 36 and 61, and a 56-year-old woman on 6 May 2025 for their alleged involvement in various offences, including vice-related, cheating, and provision of unlicensed payment services offences.
The five persons will be charged on 6 May 2025 for the following offences:
- A 40-year-old man who allegedly managed brothels, harboured vice workers, used remote communication services to offer the sexual services of vice workers, and lived off the vice workers’ earnings;
- A 36-year-old man who allegedly instigated others to cheat and rent premises which would be misused as brothels, and allowed a bank account who did not belong to him to be used to receive prostitution payments; and
- Two men aged 44 and 61, and a 56-year-old woman, who were allegedly the occupiers of the premises used, and allowed the premises to be used as brothels.
Details of the operation
On 21 October 2024, officers from the Specialised Crime Branch, Criminal Investigation Department, conducted simultaneous raids across Singapore. During the operation, 17 persons were arrested for suspected involvement in various offences, including vice-related and illegal drug activities. Cash exceeding $6,100, mobile phones, vice-related paraphernalia, controlled drugs and drug paraphernalia were seized. Follow-up investigations led to the arrest of another two men and one woman aged between 45 and 61, bringing the total number of persons arrested to 20.
Two men aged 33 and 39, and one woman aged 36 were charged under the Women’s Charter 1961 for allegedly facilitating the operation of an online vice syndicate. Of the remaining 12 persons, one 40-year-old woman received a warning from the Police for using remote communication services to offer the sexual services of vice workers while another 50-year-old man was investigated by the Central Narcotics Bureau for drug-related offences. Investigations against the other persons are ongoing.
Penalties
The Police will continue to take firm enforcement actions against syndicated vice activities. Under the Women’s Charter 1961:
- Any person who keeps, manages, or assists in the management of a brothel will have committed an offence under Section 148(1) of the Women’s Charter 1961. If convicted, the person shall be liable to a fine not exceeding $100,000, or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding five years, or to both;
- Any person who brings into Singapore, receives, or harbours any woman or girl, knowing or having reason to believe that she seeks entry into or has entered Singapore for the purpose of prostitution, and with intent to aid such purpose, will have committed an offence under Section 140(1) of the Women’s Charter 1961. If convicted, the person shall be liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding seven years and shall also be liable to a fine not exceeding $100,000;
- Any person who knowingly lives wholly or in part on the earnings of the prostitution of another person will have committed an offence under Section 146(1) of the Women’s Charter 1961. If convicted, the person shall be liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding seven years and shall also be liable to a fine of up to $100,000;
- Any person who knowingly solicits, receives, or agrees to receive any gratification as an inducement or reward for providing any service which aids the prostitution of another person (being a woman or girl) will have committed an offence under Section 146(1A) of the Women’s Charter 1961. If convicted, the person shall be liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding seven years and shall also be liable to a fine of up to $100,000; and
- Any person in or outside Singapore who, in the course of business, uses a remote communication service with a Singapore link that offers or facilitates the provision by a woman or girl of sexual services in Singapore in return for payment or reward will have committed an offence under Section 146A(1) of the Women’s Charter 1961. If convicted, the person shall be liable to a fine of up to $100,000, or to imprisonment for a term of not exceeding five years, or to both.
Under Section 420 of the Penal Code 1871, whoever cheats and thereby dishonestly induces the person deceived to deliver, or cause the delivery of, any property to any person, or to make, alter, or destroy the whole or any part of a valuable security (or any document capable of being converted into a valuable security), shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to 10 years, and shall also be liable to a fine.
Under Section 5(2) of the Payment Services Act 2019, a person who carries on a business of providing any type of payment service in Singapore without a license unless he is exempted under the Act, shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $125,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding three years or to both.
SINGAPORE POLICE FORCE
05 May 2025 @ 11:00 AM