23 men and 12 women, aged between 17 and 76, are being investigated for various offences, and 16 men, aged between 18 to 55, were issued with composition sums and advisories, following a series of multi-agency enforcement operations that were conducted from 23 to 31 March 2024.
The operations were led by Bedok Police Division and supported by officers from the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), Special Operations Command (SOC), Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB), Health Sciences Authority (HSA), Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA), Singapore Customs, Land Transport Authority (LTA), Ministry of Manpower (MOM) and Singapore Food Agency (SFA). The operations aimed to clamp down on crime and illegal activities in the Geylang area, such as illegal gambling, vice activities, sale of illegal sexual enhancement products, illegal employment, and illegal hawking.
Cases
On 23 March 2024, a joint enforcement operation against illegal gambling activities was conducted by officers from Bedok Police Division, SOC, ICA, and MOM along Geylang Road. A total of 16 individuals, consisting of seven men and nine women aged between 32 and 76, are currently under investigation for their alleged involvement in offences under the Gambling Control Act 2022.
During the operation, cash amounting to over S$146,560 and BND$100, along with various gambling paraphernalia, were seized. According to Section 20(2) of the Gambling Control Act 2022, any individual who gambles with another person in or from any place or premises in Singapore and knows, or ought reasonably to have known, that the place or premises is an unlawful gambling place, is guilty of an offence and may be liable on conviction to a fine of up to $10,000, imprisonment of up to six months, or both.
On 23 March 2024, officers from Bedok Police Division, SOC, ICA and MOM conducted an enforcement operation against illegal gambling activities along Geylang Road. Seven men and nine women, aged between 32 and 76, are being investigated for their alleged involvement in offences under the Gambling Control Act 2022. Cash amounting to over S$146,560, BND$100 and other gambling paraphernalia were seized during the operation. Under Section 20(2) of the Gambling Control Act 2022, any individual who gambles with another person in or from any place or premises in Singapore and knows, or ought reasonably to have known, that the place or premises is an unlawful gambling place shall be guilty of an offence and be liable on conviction to a fine of up to $10,000 or imprisonment of up to six months or both.
Duty-unpaid
On 26 March 2024, officers from the Singapore Customs conducted an enforcement operation against duty-unpaid cigarettes. A 72-year-old man was arrested for an offence under the Customs Act 1960. 16 men, aged between 18 and 55, were issued with composition sums and advisories under the Customs Act 1960 for possessing duty-unpaid cigarettes. 152 sticks of duty-unpaid cigarettes were seized as part of the operation. Buying, selling, conveying, delivering, storing, keeping, possessing, or dealing with duty-unpaid goods are serious offences under the Customs Act 1960 and the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Act 1993. Offenders can be fined up to 40 times the amount of duty and GST evaded and/or jailed for up to six years.
Enhancement products
On 26 and 28 March 2024, officers from Bedok Police Division, HSA, ICA and CNB conducted joint enforcement operations along Geylang Lorongs. The joint operations targeted the sales of unregistered health products and illegal drug activities. Four men, aged between 17 and 40, are being investigated by HSA for offences under the Health Products Act 2007. Unregistered health products consisting of cough syrup and various purported sexual enhancement products with an estimated street value of about $6,391 were seized. Those found guilty of importing, manufacturing and/or supplying of unregistered health products, may be liable to an imprisonment term for up to two years and/or fined up to $50,000.
Special massage
On 27 March 2024, officers from Bedok Police Division conducted enforcement operations against two massage establishments located along Geylang Road. Two women, aged 35 and 40, were arrested for offences under the Women’s Charter Act 1961. Two men, aged 45 and 57, are being investigated for offences under the Massage Establishments Act 2017.
Between 27 and 29 March 2024, officers from the CID, Bedok Police Division, ICA and CNB conducted checks along the streets and at public entertainment outlets and hotels along Geylang Road and Geylang Lorongs. Three men, aged between 25 to 31, were arrested for offences under the Societies Act 1966. Two men and a woman, aged between 30 and 32, were arrested for offences under the Immigration Act 1959. One of the men was also arrested for suspected drug offences and charged on 30 March 2024 for breaking conditions of bail under Section 103 of the Criminal Procedure Code 2010. A 38-year-old man was also arrested for a suspected offence under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1973.
On 28 March 2024, officers from LTA conducted an enforcement operation in the vicinity of Geylang Lorongs, targeting the use of illegally-modified Personal Mobility Devices (PMDs) and Power Assisted Bicycles (PABs). Three men, aged between 26 and 67, are being investigated for offences under the Active Mobility Act 2017. Three PABs were also impounded during the operation.
