Police arrest 24 for illegal gambling, 7 for vice-related activities in 5-day raids

Plain clothes police officers leading gamblers into a police van on Oct 17, 2020. ST PHOTO: GAVIN FOO
Twenty-three men and eight women were nabbed in raids. PHOTO: SINGAPORE POLICE FORCE

SINGAPORE - Police have arrested 31 people for their suspected involvement in either illegal gambling or vice-related activities after a five-day enforcement operation conducted by the Central Police Division, which ended on Sunday (Oct 18).

The Singapore Police Force said in a statement on Tuesday that 23 men and eight women, aged between 24 and 76, were nabbed in raids in areas including Jalan Besar, Geylang Bahru and Chinatown.

Of these, 23 men and a woman, aged between 46 and 76, were caught for various gambling offences. Cash amounting to about $8,300, believed to be gambling proceeds, was also seized.

Any person convicted of providing illegal remote gambling services can be jailed for up to five years and/or fined between $20,000 and $200,000.

Those found to be gaming in a common gaming house can be jailed up to six months and/or fined up to $5,000.

Offenders involved in bookmaking can be jailed for up to five years and fined between $20,000 and $200,000.

In separate raids, seven women, aged between 24 and 39, were arrested at Chay Yan Street, Opal Crescent and Beach Road for suspected involvement in vice-related activities.

They were believed to have advertised their sexual services online and carried out vice activities in private apartments and HDB residential units.

Property owners who allowed their premises to be used for vice-related activities can be jailed up to three years and/or fined up to $3,000. Repeat offenders can be jailed up to five years and/or fined up to $10,000.

Any person convicted of acting as an agent or pimp for vice-related activities can be jailed for up to five years and fined up to $10,000.

In the statement, the police said that it will continue to "clamp down" on criminal activities, warning: "Those found engaging in such activities will be dealt with sternly in accordance with the law."

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