Police raid Sims Avenue massage parlour, arrest 2 for alleged vice-related activities

Two women aged 37 and 39 were arrested on Sept 18 for their alleged involvement in vice-related activities.

They were arrested during an enforcement operation at a massage establishment along Sims Avenue, the police said in a Facebook post on Monday (Sept 28).

Officers from Geylang Neighbourhood Police Centre and Bedok Police Division's compliance management unit were involved in the raid.

The two women are believed to be involved in vice-related activities.

The police also reminded members of the public not to engage in vice-related activities and to report any suspected vice-related activities to the police.

Regulations on massage parlours tightened

Earlier in April, the police announced that they are ending licensing exemptions for massage establishments as a new set of regulations come into effect from the second half of this year.

This means that open-concept massage establishments — presently exempted from licensing — will soon need to comply with "fit and proper" requirements under a new "Category 3" licensing regime.

Category 1 licences are granted to those which operate in HDB shop houses, shopping centres and hotels, while Category 2 licences are given to those operating away from residential areas, schools and places of worship.

The requirements include ensuring that rooms, partitions or cubicles are not set up within the establishment, and obtaining land use approval from HDB and Urban Redevelopment Authority before the premises can be used as an open-concept massage establishment.

Minister for National Development Chee Hong Tat said at that time that he welcomed the move, adding that his ministry and its agencies are supportive of the new measures.

He pledged that HDB officers will work closely with the police to clamp down on errant establishments that do not comply with regulations and provide illicit services.

Chee also warned such operators that HDB has the authority to terminate the tenancies of those found to be complicit in vice-related activities.

9月18日，两名年龄分别为37岁和39岁的女子因涉嫌参与卖淫活动而被捕。

警方周一（9 月 28 日）在 Facebook 上发帖称，他们在西姆斯大道一家按摩店的执法行动中被捕。

芽笼邻里警署和勿洛警署合规管理部门的警员参与了此次突击行动。

据信这两名女子参与了与卖淫有关的活动。

警方还提醒公众不要参与任何与卖淫有关的活动，并向警方举报任何可疑的卖淫活动。

按摩院监管收紧

今年四月初，警方宣布将取消按摩场所的许可证豁免，一套新的法规将于今年下半年生效。

这意味着目前无需获得许可的开放式按摩场所很快将需要遵守新的“3 类”许可制度下的“适当性”要求。

第一类许可证颁发给在组屋店屋、购物中心和酒店经营的商家，而第二类许可证颁发给在住宅区、学校和宗教场所以外经营的商家。

要求包括确保场所内不设置房间、隔断或隔间，并且在将场所用作开放式按摩场所之前，必须获得建屋发展局和市区重建局的土地使用批准。

当时，国家发展部长徐芳达表示欢迎这一举措，并补充说，他的部门及其下属机构都支持这些新措施。

他承诺，建屋发展局官员将与警方密切合作，严厉打击不遵守规定、提供非法服务的违规场所。

Chee 还警告这些经营者，建屋发展局有权终止那些被发现参与卖淫活动的人的租约。