SINGAPORE - Eighty-seven people have been hauled up following islandwide enforcement checks on 101 massage establishments between Sept 13 and Oct 23. A total of 31 establishments were found allegedly providing massage services without a valid licence and failing to ensure that employees do not provide sexual services. The police have arrested 46 women. Ten establishments were found to have allegedly breached Covid-19 safe distancing measures by failing to ensure that all persons wear a mask within the licensed premises, and that interactions among staff and customers are minimised. These establishments may be ordered to close for 10 days and fined $1,000 for such breaches. Customers caught not wearing a mask may be fined $300. The police said on Saturday (Nov 6) that they will continue with enforcement checks and advise the public and businesses to take safe management measures seriously. For non-compliance with safe distancing measures under the Covid-19 (Temporary Measures) (Control Order) Regulations 2020, those found guilty may be jailed up to six months, fined up to $10,000, or both. Those found guilty of providing massage services in an establishment for massage without a valid licence can be fined up to $10,000, jailed up to two years, or both. Repeat offenders face a fine of up to $20,000, a jail term of up to five years, or both. More on this topic Related Story 99 under probe, with 29 arrested, after police raids on nearly 300 massage, entertainment outlets Related Story 6 women arrested for alleged involvement in sexual services in massage parlours
SINGAPORE - Six individuals, including outlet operators, are under investigation following police raids on 10 massage establishments. Six outlets were found to have committed various offences under the Massage Establishments Act, while four outlets were allegedly operating without valid licences, said the police in a statement on Tuesday (Sept 7). Vice-related activities were purportedly detected at two other outlets. The raids, conducted by Ang Mo Kio Police Division, took place between Aug 26 and Sept 2. The massage establishments were located in Ang Mo Kio Avenue 1 and Avenue 4, as well as Jalan Selaseh, Simon Road, and Upper Serangoon Road. Those found guilty of running a business providing massage services in an establishment for massage without a valid licence can be fined up to $10,000, jailed for up to two years, or both. Repeat offenders can be fined up to $20,000, jailed for up to five years, or both. People found to have breached the prescribed rules and conditions under the Massage Establishments Act can also be fined up to $5,000, with repeat offenders fined up to $10,000, jailed for up to two years, or both. The police said in the statement that they have been "conducting regular enforcement operations at massage establishments to suppress vice and other illegal activities". "Offenders will be dealt with firmly in accordance with the law," the statement added. More on this topic Related Story 9 people investigated after police raid massage establishments Related Story 45 people being investigated after police raids on massage and entertainment outlets
SINGAPORE - The police are investigating 45 people after conducting week-long raids on 42 massage parlours and nine unlicensed entertainment outlets. In a raid on an unlicensed KTV-concept outlet in Chang Charn Road, four women between the ages of 30 and 35 were arrested for working without valid work permits. Eleven persons on the premises are being investigated for alleged breaches of Covid-19 measures. A 40-year-old man has also been arrested for offences under the Public Entertainments Act and Liquor Control Act and for his suspected involvement in the management of this outlet. A total of 17 establishments are believed to have flouted rules under various Acts, such as the Massage Establishments Act and Covid-19 (Temporary Measures) (Control Order) Regulations 2020. These include three outlets operating without a valid licence, and one that allegedly failed to ensure all of its customers wore a mask during the massage. Investigations against 29 individuals, comprising operators, masseuses and a customer, are ongoing. According to Section 5(4) of the Massage Establishments Act, those found carrying on a business of providing massage services in an establishment for massage without a valid licence shall be fined $10,000, or face imprisonment of up two years, or both. For repeat offenders, this offence can carry a fine of up to 20,000, or imprisonment of up to five years, or both. For non-compliance with safe distancing measures under the Covid-19 (Temporary Measures) (Control Order) Regulations 2020, offenders can be jailed for up to six months, fined up to $10,000, or both. The offences of supplying liquor without a valid licence and providing public entertainment without a valid licence also carry a fine of up to $20,000 each. The police warn that they are "consistently taking enforcement action at massage establishments and illegal KTVs to suppress vice and other illegal activities". Their statement said: "The police have zero tolerance for irresponsible behaviour relating to the flouting of these measures and offenders will be dealt with firmly in accordance with the law." More on this topic Related Story KTV lounge linked to Covid-19 cluster fined for flouting licensing conditions in 2019 Related Story 9 people investigated after police raid massage establishments
SINGAPORE - Around 50 nightlife establishments that flouted Covid-19 rules since October last year will not be allowed to reopen. Others that previously pivoted to food and beverage (F&B) operations must remain closed until they have passed inspections and received a conditional permit, the authorities said. Such outlets were ordered to close for two weeks from July 16, to break the community transmission of the virus from clusters at KTV lounges and nightclubs. If these pivoted nightlife establishments are permitted to reopen, they have to adhere to additional safe management measures, on top of existing ones for the F&B sector, said the Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment in a joint statement on Saturday (July 31) with the Ministry of Trade and Industry and the Ministry of Home Affairs. The additional measures include locking all private rooms and installing closed-circuit television cameras to cover all areas of operation, including the entrances of the locked private rooms. Equipment that facilitate public entertainment, such as pool tables and karaoke machines, must be moved out of their patrons' sight. All employees at these outlets are also required to undergo Covid-19 testing every seven days at Health Promotion Board's Quick Test centre, upon resumption of operations. More on this topic Related Story 3 men to be charged for operating unlicensed KTV outlets Related Story KTV cluster coming under control; Jurong Fishery Port cluster led to tighter rules: Ong Ye Kung
SINGAPORE - The police will take action against 25 massage establishments for not ensuring that staff and customers wear masks at all times. And 23 individuals will also be taken to task for not wearing a mask during their massage. This comes as checks at such establishments are stepped up to ensure that safe management measures are followed, the police said in a statement on Wednesday (May 26). Checks have been carried out at around 850 such establishments in the past two weeks. "Over the past few weeks, several clusters of infection have emerged alongside many unlinked community cases," it said. "These developments have demonstrated the need for continued vigilance in the practice of safe management measures by permitted enterprises like massage establishments, which are allowed to operate during the current Covid-19 pandemic." Depending on the severity of breaches found, massage establishments may be fined between $1,000 and $2,000, while individuals may be fined up to $1,000. Massage establishment operators may also be liable for prosecution under the Covid-19 (Temporary Measures) Act, and first-time offenders can be fined up to $10,000, jailed for up to six months, or both. Subsequent offences may incur higher penalties of a fine of up to $20,000, imprisonment of up to 12 months, or both. Individuals who do not comply with safe distancing measures under the Covid-19 (Temporary Measures) (Control Order) Regulations may also be jailed up to six months, fined up to $10,000, or both. More on this topic Related Story Woman not wearing mask at various places arrested, handed more charges including SHN breach Related Story 8 Britons who breached Covid-19 measures on yacht off Lazarus Island banned from working in S’pore