Man, 58, charged with operating unlicensed massage parlours

SINGAPORE – A man was charged on Monday (Sept 20) with operating three unlicensed massage parlours in Brighton Crescent, Hougang Street 21 and Jalan Besar.

The Ang Mo Kio and Central Police Divisions conducted a series of enforcement operations between December last year and June this year and found the man to be allegedly operating massage establishments and providing massage services without valid licences.

The 58-year-old man is charged with carrying on a business of providing massage services in an establishment without a valid licence under Section 5(1) of the Massage Establishment Act 2017.

The offence carries a fine of up to $20,000, a jail term of up to five years, or both.

The police will notify the landlord when his tenant has been charged in court with operating an unlicensed massage establishment. After the tenant has been convicted, the landlord must make sure the tenant hands over possession of the premises within one month.

“The police will take action against landlords who knowingly lease their premises to unlicensed massage establishment operators,” said the Singapore Police Force in a statement on Monday.

The police highlighted that they take a serious view against any person involved in such illicit business operations and perpetrators will be dealt with in accordance with the law.