Aug 11, 2010
Dragon Hotel charged for vice
<!-- by line --> By Khushwant Singh, Court Reporter
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DRAGON Hotel is the latest establishment to be brought to court for allowing prostitutes to ply their trade on its premises in Mosque Street. Its licensee Teo Eng Heng, 41, is said to have permitted prostitutes to use a hotel room for vice-related activities at 11.45pm on Feb 9 and at 12.45am on April 24 this year.
Last week, Hotel 81 chain - the biggest budget hotel chain here with about 30 hotels in areas such as Joo Chiat, Geylang and Chinatown - was taken to court for allegedly allowing prostitutes to operate at two outlets. The case involving Chu Poh Yong, 41, the general manager of the chain, will be heard again at the end of the month.
In April, Siah Chen Long, the operator of Shing Hotel in Little India, was also charged for allowing foreign prostitutes to operate from the hotel premises. Under the Hotel Licensing Regulations, a licensee who knowingly allows a prostitute to occupy a room or frequent the premises can be fined up to $1,000. He may also lose his licence to run the hotel.