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SINGAPORE – The lyrics to the Mandopop music were still playing on the unlit television, and half-empty beer cans and Martell bottles were on the table, but the lights had come on, the doors were knocked down, and the party was over.
Police broke into during a raid on three commercial homes on Kitchener Road and Verdun Road between Friday night (April 2) and the early hours of Saturday. They allegedly housed karaoke rooms that operated without a license.
Six men and one woman, between the ages of 23 and 38, were arrested for crimes under the Alcoholic Beverages Control Act and the Foreign Labor Employment Act.
Another man, 38, who has an outstanding arrest warrant, was also arrested.
The Straits Times accompanied police to their raids and saw KTV attendees, detained in rooms by plainclothes officers, taking statements from them.
Rooms within the units, which smelled of alcohol and cigarette smoke, had black painted walls, large TVs, karaoke machines, microphones, colored LED lights, and couches. Some even had a disco ball and strobe lights.
All units had a kitchen or bar area where cases of beer and dozens of bottles of liquor were found and confiscated.
In addition to those arrested, 34 men and 11 women, between 24 and 66 years old, will be investigated on suspicion of non-compliance with the rules and regulations of the Public Entertainment Law and the Alcoholic Beverages Control Law, as well as the Covid- rules. 19 that do not allow the meeting. in groups of more than eight, police said.
Speaking to the media at the scene, the commander of the Central Police Division, Police Deputy Commissioner Gregory Tan Siew Hin, said the operation was part of police efforts to crack down on illegal public entertainment activities.
“Police are aware that unlicensed public entertainment venues have been operating illegally despite Covid-19 restrictions … The culprits will be treated harshly in accordance with the law,” Tan said.
Last Friday, the police raided another business house, on Joo Chiat Road, and found 12 who were allegedly consuming alcohol, singing karaoke and socializing. The unit did not have a public entertainment license or a liquor license.
The offenses of offering public entertainment or supplying liquor without a valid license carry a fine of up to $ 20,000.
Those convicted of employing an alien without a valid work pass can be fined between $ 5,000 and $ 30,000, imprisoned for up to 12 months, or both. Aliens who are employed without a valid work pass can be jailed for up to two years, fined up to $ 20,000, or both.
For violating Covid-19 safe distancing measures, offenders can be jailed for up to six months, fined up to $ 10,000, or both.
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