Latest news with #SeanLer
AsiaOne
02-07-2025
- AsiaOne
20 persons arrested in multi-agency anti-crime blitz in Geylang and Joo Chiat, Singapore News
The enforcement operation on June 27 is part of the police's continuous efforts to clamp down on regulatory offences and illegal activities in Joo Chiat and Geylang PUBLISHED ON July 02, 2025 7:00 AM By Sean Ler Eight men and 12 women, aged between 24 and 55, were arrested for various offences during a multi-agency enforcement operation in Geylang on Friday (June 27). The offences include drink driving, driving without a valid licence and insurance, non-maintenance of fire safety provisions, providing massage services without a valid licence, suspected drug-related offences, and working without a valid work permit. Members of the media, including AsiaOne, were invited to observe the enforcement operation, led by Bedok Police Division. The enforcement operation, involving officers from the Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB), Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) and the Singapore Civil Defence Force, is part of their ongoing efforts to clamp down on illicit activities and regulatory offences in the area, said the police in a statement on Wednesday (July 2). Our first stop was a hair salon along Geylang Road which actively promotes its hair washing services on social media. In some of these videos seen by AsiaOne, massage services were clearly mentioned. Under the Massage Establishments Act, hair salons are not classified as massage establishments and are not allowed to provide massage services unless they are specifically licensed to do so. The police also conducted checks on another two hair salons in the area which are licensed to provide massage services, but were found doing so beyond the stipulated closing time of 10.30pm. All three salons are being investigated under the Act. The offence of providing massage services in an establishment for massage without a licence carries a fine not exceeding $10,000, or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years, or both. About 200m down the road, officers conducted enforcement checks on a KTV outlet. There, police and ICA officers found 10 female Chinese nationals, estimated to be in their 30s to 50s, working without a valid permit. They were later arrested and led to a waiting police bus. Two women were also arrested for the same reason at two other public entertainment outlets in nearby Joo Chiat. The offence of working without a valid work pass carries a fine not exceeding $20,000, or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years, or both. [[nid:719717]] Around the corner at Guillemard Road, traffic police officers conducted ring-fencing operation in support of the ongoing multi-agency operation. These checks were conducted on drivers in Geylang for traffic-related offences. A total of seven motorists, aged between 24 and 55, were arrested for drink-driving. Among those arrested for drink-driving was a 26-year-old man who was found to be driving without a valid licence and insurance. The media also witnessed one male motorcyclist being detained just before the roadblock. A police K-9 Springer Spaniel and its handler were seen searching a stretch of pavement adjacent to the road as traffic police officers interviewed the man. The dog was later led to search the motorcycle. The 48-year-old man was subsequently arrested for possession of contraband cigarettes, drugs and e-vaporisers, and is being investigated by the Singapore Customs, CNB and the Health Sciences Authority. Commanding Officer of Geylang Neighbourhood Police Centre Superintendent Muhammad Firdaus bin Abdul Raub said during the operation that the police will deal sternly with drink-driving and unlawful activities."This (the operation) is part of our continuous efforts to clamp down on vice and drug-related activities in Geylang and demonstrates the agencies' commitment to upholding public safety and compliance with regulations," he said. On the police's e-services portal, Geylang is listed as one of nine locations where a new public entertainment licence is unlikely to be granted to mitigate law and order concerns and manage the number of such establishments. Six other persons are assisting with investigations relating to regulatory breaches of a public entertainment license. Licensees who breach the public entertainment license may have their licenses suspended or cancelled, and may also be liable to a fine not exceeding $10,000. [[nid:704547]] editor@ This website is best viewed using the latest versions of web browsers.
AsiaOne
03-06-2025
- Politics
- AsiaOne
ICA issues verbal advisory to sole voter in Tampines Changkat SMC polling district for failing to update address, Singapore News
ICA began investigating the 53-year-old after the Electoral Boundaries Review Committee released its report on March 11 this year PUBLISHED ON June 03, 2025 7:45 AM By Sean Ler The Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) has issued a verbal advisory to the 53-year-old Singaporean man who was registered as the sole voter in one of the polling districts within Tampines Changkat Single Member Constituency (SMC). The man, who only wanted to be known by his surname Yeo when he spoke to AsiaOne in April this year, had previously listed his business premises located in Tampines Industrial Park A as his residential address. Yeo has since updated his address. In a joint statement to the media on Tuesday (June 3), ICA and the Elections Department (ELD) said the man registered his address at an industrial park in 2020 as he had lived there temporarily during that period. The agencies added that the man moved to a new residence in 2022, but did not update his address within 28 days, as required by law. "The decision to issue a verbal advisory took into account that this was his first offence under the National Registration Act, and there was no evidence to suggest any malicious or criminal intent," added ICA and ELD. According to the agencies, Yeo has since updated his address with ICA and the Registers of Electors will reflect his updated address when they are next revised. When the Electoral Boundaries Review Committee (EBRC) released its report on March 11, there was one anomaly: one polling district -- EC 42 -- in Tampines Changkat SMC had only a single registered voter, who turned out to be Yeo. Several media outlets attempted unsuccessfully to locate the single voter at the new Tampines GreenEmerald BTO project. Contractors and security guards whom AsiaOne spoke to said that new homeowners had only received their keys and commenced renovations in February. And since the Registry of Electors was updated as at Feb 1, 2025, there would not have been reasonably sufficient time for any new homeowner to complete even minimal renovations, move in, and have their registered address changed to the newly completed BTO. AsiaOne managed to track down Yeo at the JTC-managed Tampines Industrial Park A in early-April and later spoke to him. Yeo said that he had changed his residential address located in central Singapore to this industrial unit in Tampines sometime in 2020. He told AsiaOne that as the sole proprietor of the family business, he often spends long hours at work every day. "It was for the convenience to run this business," explained Yeo at that time, adding that he does not live in the unit. AsiaOne later learnt that ICA had already commenced investigations after the EBRC's report. When contacted on Tuesday afternoon after the joint statement, Yeo declined further comment. Under the National Registration Act, all identity card holders are required to report a change of address within 28 days of moving in a new (local or overseas) residence. The change can be done online via ICA's change of address e-service. Those who fail to report a change of address or falsely declare their residential address may be fined up to $5,000 and jailed for up to five years. AsiaOne has also reached out to JTC, which manages Tampines Industrial Park A, for comment. [[nid:716427]] editor@ This website is best viewed using the latest versions of web browsers.
