Teen among 1,688 people being investigated after 300 raids in anti-crime blitz

Once dimly-lit, the lights at a Thai disco in Orchard Plaza were suddenly turned on and the music stopped as the authorities raided the place, catching patrons by surprise.

There was a hint of a sweet aroma in the air, and a Health Sciences Authority (HSA) officer questioned three women in a VIP room.

An e-vaporiser was on their table. It wasn’t theirs, they claimed. The HSA officer took down their particulars anyway.

This midnight raid on July 21, which the media were allowed to witness, was just one of more than 300 operations the authorities conducted over five weeks, targeting illegal and criminal activities.

Between June 16 and July 23, over 300 raids were conducted and 1,688 people - 1,080 men and 608 women, aged between 16 and 82, were investigated for various offences.

The police declined to say what offence the 16-year-old had allegedly committed.

The raid at the Thai disco involved officers from Tanglin Police Division, the Criminal Investigation Department, Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF), HSA, Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) and the Central Narcotics Bureau.

At the disco and another nightclub on July 21, one man and four women, aged between 28 and 33, were caught with vapes.

Vaping has been illegal since Feb 2018, carrying a fine of up to $2,000 for anyone caught using, buying or possessing vapes.

In 2022, 4,916 people were caught for the offence, a jump from the 1,266 caught in 2020, and 4,697 in 2021.

Based on their passes, the women were from Vietnam, Taiwan, China and Thailand.

One woman held a work permit pass which said she was a public relations officer, when in fact she was suspected to be accompanying men at the club.

Almost an hour later, some of the women were led out in handcuffs and driven away in two police vans.

The police said that night, a man and nine women, aged between 25 and 32, were arrested for offences under the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act, Societies Act and Immigration Act.

The SCDF told The Straits Times the nightclub and Thai disco were also cluttered with carbon dioxide cylinders, which contained liquid carbon dioxide used in fog machines to create a smoke effect.

Both premises had stored six such cylinders each in common areas easily accessible to the public. SCDF said the way they were stored posed a risk of tampering by guests.

At another raid on July 13, officers from Clementi Police Division seized over 52,000 cans of beer and 780 bottles of liquor at Jurong Gateway Road. A 46-year-old man is being investigated for an offence under the Liquor Control Act.

The media also tagged along on a raid targeting illegal online gambling at a commercial unit in Burn Road, off MacPherson Road, on July 12. When journalists entered the unit, a strong cigarette smell was detected.

Six desktops showed online jackpot machines as stacks of cash were strewn on the table. The currency showed on some screens were in Malaysian Ringgit as the service providers of these illegal gambling dens were based overseas.

Six men, aged between 53 and 65, were arrested for offences under the Gambling Control Act and more than $1,800 in cash was seized that night.

Between June 16 and 18, the authorities also conducted raids targeting illegal vice and gambling activities at Jalan Besar, Little India, Beach Road, Chinatown, Boat Quay and Serangoon Road.

A total of 10 men and 65 women, aged between 21 and 68, were arrested for offences mainly under the Women’s Charter Act and Gambling Control Act.

Condoms, lubricants, mahjong tiles and over $10,000 in cash were seized.

The five-week anti-crime blitz involved over 1,900 officers from all seven police land divisions. More than 3,500 people were checked, and 504 were arrested.

Senior Assistant Commissioner Gregory Tan, director of operations department, said: “By working hand-in-hand with other law enforcement agencies, we want to send a strong message to criminals that they will face the full extent of the law.”

SAC Tan noted the public acts as the police’s eyes and ears in the fight against crime.

He added: “We urge members of the public to remain vigilant and to report any criminal or suspicious activities to the police.”