SINGAPORE - Nine men aged between 18 and 43 were arrested for being suspected members of unlawful societies during islandwide secret society and crime suppression operations last month.

Among the nine men, a 20-year-old was also arrested for possessing a weapon in a public place, the police said in a statement on Monday (Dec 6).

Investigations are ongoing.

The Secret Societies Branch of the Criminal Investigation Department and the Police Land Divisions carried out a series of raids at nightlife establishments, food and beverage outlets and shopping malls between Nov 12 and 28.

During the operations, the police conducted checks on 254 people and arrested the nine men.

In one of the joint operations with safe distancing enforcement officers from the Urban Redevelopment Authority, Taboo Singapore, a nightlife establishment in Duxton Road, was ordered to close for 20 days from Nov 27 after it was found to have breached safe management measures.

Seventeen people at the premises were also issued notices of composition of between $300 and $1,000 for flouting safe management measures.

If found guilty of being a member of an unlawful society, a person can be fined up to $5,000, jailed for up to three years, or both.

Anyone in possession of an offensive weapon in a public place can be jailed for up to three years and given at least six strokes of the cane.