On May 17, Thursday, police conducted raids on a number of massage parlors and public entertainment outlets operating without a license. This led to in the arrest of seventeen (17) people.
The police released a statement today identifying the locations of the pubic entertainment outlets as Sam Leong Road, Boat Quay, Magazine Road and Upp Circular Road. The massage parlors that were raided are in Sago Street, Trengganu Street and Mosque Street.
Among the people arrested are a foreign woman working with no valid work pass, the operator of the parlor where this woman worked, as well as two other women, ages 27 and 21, reportedly sex workers at a certain massage parlor.
Thirteen other women from the ages of 18 to 30, who had no valid work permits, were also arrested. They worked for public entertainment outlets that had violations regarding licensing conditions.
The statement from the police says, “The police take a serious view of anyone found breaking the law and these offenders will be dealt with in accordance with the law.”
It also indicated that law enforcement is ready to take “firm action” against the operators of these business establishments that have openly disregarded the regulations concerning operations.