SINGAPORE: A total of 83 people, aged between 20 and 58, are being investigated for allegedly flouting COVID-19 regulations, the police said on Monday (Mar 22).
Preliminary investigations into four separate cases revealed that the 46 men and 37 women had allegedly gathered to socialise, with public entertainment and liquor believed to have been supplied to them without a valid licence.
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In the first case, the police received information on Feb 25 regarding a gathering in an office unit along Pemimpin Drive near Marymount Road. When officers arrived, eight men and seven women, aged between 21 and 38, were allegedly drinking, smoking and singing in the unit.
A 38-year old man, believed to be the operator of the unit, and three other men believed to have been acting as lookouts for the group, are being investigated for offences under the Public Entertainments Act and Liquor Control (Supply and Consumption) Act 2015.
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On Mar 1, the police were alerted to another gathering in a shophouse unit along East Coast Road.
When officers arrived, 12 men and seven women, aged between 21 and 39, were allegedly drinking and singing in the unit. The units operator is being investigated for offences under the Public Entertainments Act and Liquor Control (Supply and Consumption) Act 2015.
The third case involved a gathering in an office unit along Jalan Bukit Merah on Mar 13.
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Five men and six women, aged between 20 and 38, were found allegedly drinking, smoking and singing in the unit. The units operator is being investigated for offences under the Public Entertainments Act and Liquor Control (Supply and Consumption) Act 2015.
The police also conducted a raid on an office unit along Ubi Avenue 3 on Mar 18, where they found 18 men and 17 women, aged between 22 and 58, allegedly drinking and socialising in the unit.
A 22-year-old man, believed to be the operator of the unit, is being investigated for offences under the Public Entertainments Act, Liquor Control (Supply and Consumption) Act 2015 and Employment of Foreign Manpower Act.
Four female Vietnamese nationals were also arrested for suspected offences under the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act, said the police.
Investigations into all four cases are ongoing.
Under the Public Entertainments Act and Liquor Control (Supply and Consumption) Act 2015, the offences of providing public entertainment and supplying liquor without a valid license each carries a fine of up to S$20,000.
Those found guilty of employing a foreign employee without a valid work pass under the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act also face a fine of between S$5,000 to S$30,000, a jail term of up to 12 months, or both.
Under the same Act, the offence of being in employment without a valid work pass carries a jail term of up to two years, a fine of up to S$20,000, or both.
The police advised members of the public to take the prevailing safe distancing measures seriously. For non-compliance with safe distancing measures under the COVID-19 (Temporary Measures) (Control Order) Regulations 2020, offenders may be jailed for up to six months, fined up to S$10,000, or both.
The police added that they will continue to take tough enforcement action against criminal activities and COVID-19 regulation breaches.
Those found engaging in illicit activities, or in breach of safe distancing measures, will be dealt with sternly in accordance with the law, said the police.
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SINGAPORE: A total of 83 people, aged between 20 and 58, are being investigated for allegedly flouting COVID-19 regulations, the police said on Monday (Mar 22).
