158 nabbed in multi-agency dragnet at Geylang & Orchard Rd

[Sun Wukong]

158 nabbed in multi-agency dragnet at Geylang & Orchard Rd
By Zul Othman, TODAY | Posted: 07 February 2010 1501 hrs
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SINGAPORE : For the second time in two weeks, the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and other enforcement officers swept though the streets of Geylang and Orchard Road early on Sunday morning.

One hundred and fifty-eight people were arrested for a range of offences, some of them gang- and vice-related.

Last week, officers from the CID and Tanglin Police Division arrested 27 people for various criminal offences at entertainment outlets along Orchard Road.

While the latest reports are unavailable, about 5,050 foreign women were picked up for vice offences in 2008, compared to the 5,400 arrested in 2007.

It is understood that much of the operation along the Orchard Road entertainment area was targeted at Orchard Towers.

The women - who are here on social visit passes - commonly come from the Philippines, China, Thailand and Vietnam .

Some have also been known to prowl the surrounding areas - openly soliciting customers in the early hours of the morning - to as far as Pacific Plaza along Scotts Road.

When MediaCorp visited the area at 2am on Sunday, the women, who are usually seen waiting outside the complex, were almost gone, perhaps frightened off by the presence of police.

For more details, do read the Monday's edition of TODAY. - TODAY/ir/ms

 

[Sun Wukong]

Singapore
Home > Breaking News > Singapore > Story
Feb 8, 2010

158 nabbed in raids

<!-- by line --> By Wendy Lim

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In a seven-hour raids in Geylang and Orchard Road, 158 people were arrested in a multi-agency crackdown on criminal offences. --PHOTO: SINGAPORE POLICE FORCE

<!-- story content : start --> IN A seven-hour raids in Geylang and Orchard Road, 158 people were arrested in a multi-agency crackdown on criminal offences. Those arrested were suspected of various offences including gang and vice-related activities, immigration and illegal employment offences, consumption of controlled drugs, fire safety and public entertainment licensing breaches. The seven-hour crackdown was carried out at Geylang and Orchard Road from Saturday evening to early Sunday. More than 300 officers from various Home Team agencies and the Manpower ministry were involved in the operation. Investigations against those arrested are ongoing.

 

[Sun Wukong]

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[postnew]

heard that the few PUBs at Geylang were raided.

 

[postnew]

 

[no_faith]

eh... the reflection of the lights seems...

 

[Sun Wukong]

158 arrested in overnight crime bust

by ZUL OTHMAN [email protected]
05:55 AM Feb 08, 2010
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SINGAPORE - For the second time in two weeks, officers from the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and other law enforcement agencies swept through Geylang and along Orchard Road.

In the latest operation, which started on Saturday night and ended early yesterday morning, 158 persons were arrested for a range of offences, some of them drugs, gang and vice related. Last week, officers from the CID and Tanglin Police Division arrested 27 persons at entertainment outlets along Orchard Road. On Jan 23, the CID raided the back lanes of Geylang, picking up 170 people on vice and gambling charges in one of the largest operations in recent times.

It is understood that much of the operation along the Orchard Road entertainment area over the weekend was targeted at Orchard Towers. Could these frequent raids be due to concerns the vice situation would spike when the integrated resorts open? The police did not comment when asked, only saying they "conduct enforcement operations against vice and other illegal activities on a regular basis, where the situation is warranted".

Nonetheless, Member of Parliament for Holland-Bukit Timah GRC Christopher de Souza feels the recent raids are "a step in the right direction". "There is sentiment on the ground that there seems to be a proliferation of vice activities that needs to be addressed … It is obvious that the police are taking this issue as a priority," he said. "I think this is a strong message before the casinos operate in full swing (but) I think there should be interfacing between the casinos and the anti-vice branch so that decision makers are kept informed of the situation on the ground".

In Geylang, a pimp told MediaCorp on Saturday that "the raids have scared off a lot of people". "Things are very quiet now ... for us, we make the girls wait in the rooms and not by the road side as we used to do," said the man, who only wanted to be known as Tan.

He manages five Thai women in the back lanes of Westerhout Road at Geylang Lorong 18, charging mainly foreign workers and the odd local $35 per session. "Just a few months ago we'd operate from morning till night and I could make up to $400 per day. But now it's impossible to earn that much … we also have to be extra careful (of the police) so we only operate from 8am to 11am, (that's) a bad time because no customers come that early."

Illegal gambling in the back lanes of Geylang Lorong 18 and 16 still reels in punters, but Tan said people are staying away because they don't want to "get into trouble with the police".

SUBHEAD: 'Down to supply and demand'

Latest reports are unavailable, but in 2008, about 5,050 foreign women were picked up for vice offences, compared to the 5,400 arrested in 2007.
The women around Orchard Towers are usually from the Philippines, China, Thailand and Vietnam and they hold social visit passes. They charge foreigners about $200 per session.

Some have also been known to prowl the surrounding areas - to as far as Pacific Plaza at Scotts Road - openly soliciting customers in the early hours of the morning, When MediaCorp visited the area on Sunday at around 2 am, the women who usually wait outside Orchard Towers were almost gone, seemingly frightened off by the police presence. But patrons said the women had moved indoors and were looking for clients in the clubs.

"There seems to be more women coming to Orchard Towers because the impression is that a lot of men here have money and are willing to pay … I don't think that will change anytime soon," said a 31-year-old sales manager. No one working for any of the clubs wanted to say if their bosses were taking any steps to curb such activities, but it is understood that bouncers check all women in their clubs for overstayers and to see if any is underaged.

The raids may have cleared the streets for now, but another club patron, Keith, said the problem of streetwalkers along Orchard Road is unlikely to go away. "It boils down to demand and supply. People in Singapore have a reputation for having money so these women will still provide the service as long they're needed," said the 35-year-old Englishman. "The raids may be stepped up but there is no way ... the police can totally eradicate the problem".

 

[postnew]

Two Malay artistes nabbed by police in three days
By Arul John
February 09, 2010

A freelance rock singer who has appeared on Malay TV channel Suria is believed to be one of two artistes nabbed by the police over the past three days.
The singer, who is in his 30s, was said to have been arrested on Friday afternoon when he was on his way to MediaCorp TV to take part in a show to celebrate Suria’s 10th anniversary.
The singer's manager said the singer was remanded at Tanglin Police Division. He added that the case will come up in the Subordinate Courts this month.
Over the weekend, another Malay artiste, reportedly a well-known comedian, was nabbed during a multi-agency dragnet at Geylang and Orchard Road.
The comedian was believed to be among 158 people arrested during that operation for various offences, including gang-related activities, immigration offences, illegal employment, peddling contraband cigarettes and consumption of controlled drugs.