SINGAPORE - The police are investigating 83 people for breaching safe distancing measures to drink and socialise in four separate incidents, with the most egregious offence involving 35 people gathered in an office unit.

The 18 men and 17 women were discovered by the police in a raid on the office in Ubi Avenue 3 on March 18. They are alleged to have been drinking and socialising in the unit.

A 22-year-old man, who is believed to be the unit's operator, is under investigation for offences under the Public Entertainments Act.

Four of the women under investigation are Vietnamese nationals who are also under investigation on suspicion of offences under the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act. They were arrested during the raid.

The unit's operator is also being investigated under the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act.

Two of the other three incidents also happened in office units, while one was in a shophouse.

On March 13, the police discovered a gathering in an office in Jalan Bukit Merah. When the officers arrived, five men and six women, aged between 20 and 38, were allegedly drinking, smoking and singing in the unit. The unit's operator is being investigated for supplying alcohol without a valid licence.

On Feb 25, the police received information about a gathering in an office unit in Pemimpin Drive in the Bishan area. The perpetrators in this incident even had three lookouts, said the police.

Eight men and seven women, aged between 21 and 38, are alleged to have been drinking, smoking and singing in the unit.

A 38-year-old man who is believed to be the operator of the unit and the additional three men believed to have been acting as lookouts for the group are being investigated for offences under the Public Entertainments Act and Liquor Control (Supply and Consumption) Act.

The incident in a shophouse occurred on March 1 in East Coast Road. When the police arrived, they found 12 men and seven women - aged between 21 and 39 - allegedly drinking and singing in the unit. The unit's operator is also being investigated for offences under the Public Entertainments Act and Liquor Control (Supply and Consumption) Act.

The offences of providing public entertainment and supplying liquor without a valid licence carry a fine of up to $20,000 each.

The offence of employing a foreign employee without a valid work pass carries a fine of between $5,000 and $30,000, a jail term of up to 12 months, or both.

The offence of being in employment without a valid work pass carries a jail term of up to two years, a fine of up to $20,000, or both.

Police advised the public to take the prevailing safe distancing measures seriously. For non-compliance with safe distancing measures under the Covid-19 (Temporary Measures) (Control Order) Regulations 2020, offenders may be jailed for up to six months, fined up to $10,000, or both.

The police said they would continue to take tough enforcement action against criminal activities and such breaches of safe distancing measures.