19 arrested following enforcement sweep on beauty, wellness premises in Jurong East

SINGAPORE – A total of 19 women have been arrested, with eight operators being investigated, following enforcement operations focused on beauty and wellness premises in Jurong East in March and April.

Among the 19, 14 women were detained for suspected involvement in vice-related activities, while the other five were nabbed for breaches of work permit regulations, the police said in a statement on May 7.

Vice-related activities were found in two traditional Chinese medicine outlets and three massage establishments, the police added.

Seven operators are being investigated for providing massage services without a valid licence. Another operator, which holds a valid licence, is under investigation for failing to ensure that its employees do not provide sexual services.

The enforcement operations were conducted by the police, the Ministry of Health and the Housing Board at places such as beauty parlours and massage establishments, in Jurong East Avenue 1 and Jurong East Street 31.

Vice-related operations in beauty and wellness premises have been in the spotlight in recent months.

In September 2025, Tanjong Pagar GRC MP Foo Cexiang vowed to push for a refresh of Tanjong Pagar Plaza amid concerns over vice activities at some beauty and massage parlours there.

Mr Foo said then that he had received feedback from residents about the concentration of such shops at the shopping centre, especially in relation to concerns about children being nearby as the plaza has pre-schools in it.

More recently, the police said mandatory licensing will be imposed on all massage establishments.

The police will also bring an end to rooms, partitions and cubicles in open-concept outlets, which are supposed to operate in full view of the public.

The changes, slated to take effect by the second half of 2026, come in the wake of public unhappiness over the current system, with the police noting an increase in vice-related activities and infringement of conditions imposed on open-concept massage establishments.