On May 6, 2025, the Singapore Police announced that they will be charging five individuals, including four men aged between 36 and 61 and a 56-year-old woman, for their alleged involvement in a range of offenses related to vice activities, cheating, and the provision of unlicensed payment services.
The charges stem from a series of operations targeting illegal activities. Among those charged is a 40-year-old man accused of managing brothels, harboring vice workers, and using remote communication services to offer sexual services. He is also alleged to have profited from the earnings of these workers. A 36-year-old man is charged with instigating others to commit cheating by renting premises intended for use as brothels and allowing a bank account not belonging to him to be used for receiving payments related to prostitution.
Additionally, two men aged 44 and 61, along with the 56-year-old woman, are accused of being the occupiers of the premises used for these illegal activities, permitting the locations to function as brothels.
Details of the Operation
The police operation that led to these charges took place on October 21, 2024, when officers from the Specialised Crime Branch of the Criminal Investigation Department conducted simultaneous raids across Singapore. This operation resulted in the arrest of 17 individuals suspected of involvement in various offenses, including vice-related and illegal drug activities. Authorities seized over $6,100 in cash, mobile phones, vice-related paraphernalia, and controlled substances during the raids. Follow-up investigations led to the arrest of an additional two men and one woman, bringing the total number of arrests to 20.
Among those arrested, two men aged 33 and 39, along with a 36-year-old woman, were charged under the Women’s Charter 1961 for allegedly facilitating the operation of an online vice syndicate. Of the remaining individuals, one 40-year-old woman received a warning for using remote communication services to offer sexual services, while a 50-year-old man is under investigation by the Central Narcotics Bureau for drug-related offenses. Investigations into the other individuals are still ongoing.
Legal Penalties
The Singapore Police have reiterated their commitment to enforcing laws against syndicated vice activities. Under the Women’s Charter 1961, various offenses carry severe penalties:
- Managing or assisting in the management of a brothel can result in a fine of up to $100,000, imprisonment for up to five years, or both.
- Harboring individuals for the purpose of prostitution can lead to imprisonment for up to seven years and a fine of up to $100,000.
- Living off the earnings of prostitution can also result in imprisonment for up to seven years and a fine of up to $100,000.
- Soliciting or receiving gratification for services aiding prostitution can incur similar penalties.
- Using remote communication services to facilitate prostitution can lead to fines of up to $100,000 or imprisonment for up to five years.
Additionally, under the Penal Code, cheating offenses can result in imprisonment for up to ten years and fines. The Payment Services Act 2019 imposes fines of up to $125,000 or imprisonment for up to three years for providing payment services without a license.
The police have emphasized their determination to combat such illegal activities and ensure that those involved are held accountable under the law.