Singapore police said on Tuesday that 14 women were arrested in islandwide vice raids conducted at multiple locations on Thursday. In a joint press release, the authorities said that two mobile phones and one desktop computer were seized in the operation conducted by the Criminal Investigation Department and the Ministry of Manpower (MOM).
According to reports, the authorities conducted the raids at Jalan Besar, Selegie Road, Mackenzie Road, Serangoon Road, Woodlands, Ang Mo Kio and Jurong East.
The police said the investigations on all the suspects and their employers are going on jointly with MOM. They added that the MOM has reminded the employers to make accurate, complete and truthful declarations when applying for a work pass.
If convicted, a person who knowingly lives on the earnings of the prostitution of another person can be jailed up to five years and fined up to S$10,000.
The employers can be fined up to S$20,000, jailed for up to two years or both if they are found to have made false declarations. MOM will also ban the employers from hiring foreigners.
The authorities said that those individuals who abet the false declaration of the employer for the application of the work pass will also be taken to task. The ministry has also urged members of the public to report any form of Employment of the Foreign Manpower Act (EFMA) infrigements through email at mom_fmmd@mom.gov.sg or call the authorities at 6438 5122. It has assured that all the information will be kept confidential.
However, this is not the first time when the police have arrested women on suspicion of vice-related activities. In June, three foreign women were arrested from a flat at Jurong West Street 65 for allegedly advertising their sexual services on various online platforms.
In May, the Singapore police busted "high class" Russian vice ring and arrested four foreign women. According to the reports, the syndicate claimed to provide high-class escort services at rates starting from S$500 an hour, and potential customers were able to book the girls' services via mobile phone numbers or email addresses provided on the websites.
Singapore police had been quite vigilant about such incidents and have been conducting raids on several occasions in different parts of the city, following previous cases of prostitution.
