Singaporean man who fled to Thailand deported & rearrested, now faces vice-related charges

SINGAPORE: The Singapore Police Force issued a statement earlier this week about a 40-year-old Singaporean man who had been deported from Thailand and, upon his arrival in the city-state, was arrested by officers from the Specialised Crime Branch of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID).

The man had been out on bail in 2024 when he absconded from Singapore. The police added that the man is believed to be involved in operating vice syndicates.

Original arrest history

Along with 17 other individuals, the man had been arrested on Oct 21, 2024, for vice-related and illegal drug activities during a sweep across Singapore. The man was charged with offences under the Women’s Charter and was released on bail. However, his passport was handed over as a condition of his bail.

When the man was scheduled to attend a court mention on Dec 12, he was nowhere to be found, which resulted in an arrest warrant being issued against him. When investigations were carried out, it was discovered that he had left Singapore through illegal means of departure.

The CID then collaborated with the Royal Thai Police (RTP), leading to the man being located in Chonburi province in Thailand. The Thai police arrested him at the Prachuap Khiri Khan province on Feb 24, 2026, during a transnational operation conducted jointly by officers from Thailand and Singapore. Investigations have shown that while in Thailand, the man was suspected to have continued his involvement in operating vice activities in Singapore. The police also mentioned that three women were arrested in Singapore on the same day, aged between 25 and 38, in the vicinity of River Valley Road and Geylang Lorong 32 for suspected involvement in vice activities, though investigations are still ongoing.

The man was deported from Thailand on March 17 and arrested when he arrived in Singapore. He was charged in court the following day. He now faces a multi-year jail term and thousands of dollars in fines for the offences he has been charged with.

“The SPF will continue to work closely with our foreign law enforcement partners to combat transnational crimes and will spare no effort to bring criminals to justice, including those operating beyond our borders. Transnational anti-vice operations are part of the SPF’s ongoing efforts to keep Singapore safe and secure. Vice syndicates have leveraged technology to facilitate their operations and extend their reach across national borders. Their modus operandi has become increasingly sophisticated, and they operate their activities remotely, often from overseas. The SPF will spare no effort to clamp down on and take tough enforcement actions against vice syndicates,” said Senior Assistant Commissioner (SAC) Yeo Yee Chuan, who thanked the Thai police officers for their professionalism and teamwork during the operations. /TISG