SINGAPORE - During one of the largest enforcement operations in recent times targeting criminal activities, the authorities conducted checks on more than 14,300 people between May 20 and July 7.

More than 1,230 operations, which involved more than 4,000 officers from various agencies, took place over seven weeks, uncovering offences like the possession of vapes, illegal gambling and vice.

It also saw the seizure of illegally modified personal mobility devices and targeted car-sharing vehicles for traffic violations.

Islandwide raids involved officers from the police, the Central Narcotics Bureau, Immigration and Checkpoints Authority, the Singapore Civil Defence Force, the Health Sciences Authority (HSA), Singapore Customs and the Land Transport Authority (LTA).

Out of the 14,300 people checked, 2,445 were hauled up for investigations. Of these, 932 were arrested.

During one of the joint operations in Geylang from June 6 to July 7, more than 60 e-vaporisers and related components were seized.

The items, which are prohibited under the Tobacco (Control of Advertisements and Sale) Act, were worth about $4,000.

In the same operation, officers confiscated about 15,700 unregistered health products with an estimated value of $30,350. These included cough syrup, e-vaporiser pods and sexual enhancement products.

The HSA is investigating five men, aged between 21 and 62, for offences under the Health Products Act.

In another operation targeting public entertainment outlets, massage establishments and gambling hot spots, another five men and six women aged between 20 and 40 were found with vapes.

On June 27, the police

raided three hair salons in Geylang

, where women were caught offering unlicensed massage services.

The Straits Times visited one of these salons in 2024, and reported that it was

offering massage services

to customers.

On June 30, the media was invited to witness a raid on two massage parlours in Yishun suspected to be providing sexual services.

The first outlet was a single-storey unit with four armchairs and five massage beds, separated by partitions.

When the media arrived at about 9pm, three men were receiving massages. None were engaged in any sexual activity.

The second massage parlour was a two-storey unit that had 10 private rooms. Each room had a notice on the wall warning against sexual activities on the premises.

Three women aged between 23 and 35 were arrested for offences under the Women’s Charter that night.

To clamp down on illegal horse-betting activities, raids were conducted at several locations including King George’s Avenue, Jurong East, Ang Mo Kio, New Upper Changi Road and Marsiling.

More than $29,000 in cash, mobile phones and horse-betting paraphernalia were confiscated.

One woman and 60 men are being investigated for allegedly acting as illegal bookmakers, runners and punters.

To clamp down on illegal horse-betting activities, raids were conducted at several locations including King George’s Avenue, Jurong East, Ang Mo Kio, New Upper Changi Road and Marsiling. 

PHOTO: SINGAPORE POLICE FORCE

In another joint operation by the police and LTA on June 16, seven active mobility devices were seized in Punggol for failing to meet safety requirements. Six men were issued summons.

Another four devices were confiscated and impounded during a similar operation in Geylang.

The Traffic Police also inspected 66 car-sharing vehicles island-wide, and arrested two men, aged 20 and 21, for driving without a qualified licence and driving without insurance under the Road Traffic Act.

Senior Assistant Commissioner Gregory Tan, director of the police’s operations department, commended the officers for their efforts during the enforcement operations.

He said: “This seven-week long operation exemplifies the police’s commitment to public security. Through effective collaboration with our law enforcement partners, we have taken decisive action against those who disregard the law.”

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