The Singapore Police Force (SPF), on Thursday, December 14, 2017, revealed that they have arrested eleven women for running unlicensed massage parlors. According to the police, the women aged between 28 and 40 provided massage services without a proper license in various parlors at Jalan Bukit Merah, Tanjong Pagar, and South Bridge Road.
The names and nationalities of the arrested women are still kept under the wraps. However, it is clear that the women were providing sexual service in the disguise of massage parlors. The police are reportedly continuing the investigations to nab more people who are practicing similar offenses.
The women were nabbed under the Women's Charter and Employment of Foreign Manpower Act. The law enforcing authorities are expected to take cases against the parlors under the Massage Establishments Act.
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Illegal massage parlors on the rise
Even though Police officials are imposing strict rules when it comes to massage parlors, the number of illegal massage parlors in Singapore is on its rise. Unlicensed massage establishments in the country have drastically increased post-2015.
Most of these unlicensed massage parlors target tourists from foreign countries who reach Singapore and experts believe that the service provided by these unprofessional people will create negative impact on Singapore tourism.
During a Parliamentary sitting on November 04, several members of the house raised their concerns over the increasing number of unlicensed massage parlors in the HDB estates. Josephine Teo, the second Minister for Home Affairs revealed that the period 2013 to 2016 has witnessed 40 percent increase in the number of unlicensed massage establishments.
The shocking experience of Chan Wai Hoong
The clandestine clutches and reach of the illegal massage parlor mafia are very deep. Recently, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Chan Wai Hoong revealed a shocking incident he faced while raiding an unlicensed massage parlor.
During the raid, the business operator in the massage parlor requested Chan to have a private talk with her. Her next move literally stunned Chan, as the woman in her early 40s offered a bribe of S$10,000 to cover up the issue. For his fight against corruption, Chan was lauded by the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) at an award ceremony on last Friday.
