SINGAPORE – Scantily clad women who tried to flee from an Orchard Road KTV lounge during a raid were arrested as the authorities cracked down on illicit activities at entertainment outlets and massage parlours.

In all, 14 men and 48 women were arrested during the four-day operation from Feb 28 to March 2 and are being investigated, said the police.

The raid on March 2 at the KTV joint in Far East Shopping Centre was led by the Tanglin Police Division and was part of a five-hour blitz from 10pm.

The Straits Times and other media outlets witnessed the operation, which involved more than 30 officers from the Singapore Police Force, Ministry of Manpower, Singapore Civil Defence Force, Immigration and Checkpoints Authority, and Health Sciences Authority (HSA).

At the lounge, shoes, bags and a mobile phone were strewn across the floor as the women tried to scramble out during the 11.30pm raid by plain-clothes officers.

The mostly male patrons were caught by surprise when the lights were suddenly turned on at the usually dimly lit lounge.

The outlet has a few private rooms with doors that have only a small glass strip allowing a look in.

As part of licensing requirements, operators of KTV lounges must ensure public decency and are not allowed to use anything that obstructs the view of KTV rooms from the outside, including curtains or other decorations.

At least 48 women, who are mostly foreigners, were rounded up in two rooms, where they were searched.

One male customer who was found with an electronic vaporiser, which is banned, refused to provide his e-mail details when asked, although he surrendered the device to HSA officers.

The man was with a group of five other men in a private room. As officers quizzed him, one of the other male patrons raised his voice and said: “We are not gangsters. We are ACS boys.”

Officers de-escalated the situation, and the vape user relented and provided his e-mail address.

Earlier at about 10pm, officers also raided a KTV lounge, which has 18 private rooms, at the basement of Cuppage Plaza.

The mostly male patrons had to remain seated in the rooms as officers checked their particulars. Meanwhile, around 25 scantily clad women were held in a separate room as officers verified their identities.

Officers also searched their bags and other personal belongings for anything dangerous or illegal, including weapons, drugs and vaporisers, said a police spokesman.

Female officers searched the women for illegal items.

Over the five hours, the authorities arrested 29 people, including 12 women under the Women’s Charter for providing sexual services.

Two men and eight women, aged between 21 and 43, were arrested for offences under the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act (EFMA).

Six women aged between 23 and 34, including one detained for labour offences, were arrested for suspected drug offences.

A 54-year-old man was arrested under the Societies Act, and a 58-year-old woman was arrested under the Criminal Procedure Code.

A police spokesman said 16 vaporisers were seized during the raids.

The four-day, anti-crime blitz targeted massage parlours in Balestier Road, Orchard Road, Thomson Road and River Valley Road, and illegal gambling activities in Whampoa.

Senior Assistant Commissioner of Police Cheong Chee Ming, the commander of the Tanglin Police Division, said similar operations are likely to continue.

SAC Cheong said: “We will continue to work closely with other law enforcement agencies to take tough action against those involved in illicit activities.”