Police have brought charges against the licensee of a budget hotel for knowingly facilitating vice activities within the hotel's premises; sending a clear signal to errant hotel operators to clean up their act.

On 10 Feb 2010, police conducted a check on a hotel located along Kitchener Road and arrested 2 female foreigners therein who were believed to be involved in vice activities. The female foreigners were found in the company of their male clients in the room and were believed to be offering sexual services for a fee. Investigations revealed that the hotel staff had knowingly allowed the female foreigners to ply their trade within the hotel's premises. Under the Regulation 24(1) of the Hotels Licensing Regulations, no licensee of a hotel shall permit any person whom he knows or has reason to believe is a prostitute to occupy a room in the hotel or to frequent the premises. A licensee who is convicted for failing to comply with this provision is liable to be fine not exceeding $1,000/-, and for a second or subsequent conviction to a fine not exceeding $2,000/-. In addition the court may cancel or suspend any certificate of registration and may cancel any licence granted under the Act.

The licensee of the said hotel is due to appear in Subordinate Court 23 on 21 April 2010 at 10.00am to answer to a charge of contravening Reg 24(1) of the Hotels Licensing Regulations.

There has been no let up on Police's enforcement efforts against vice activities island-wide. A total of 7614 female foreigners were arrested island-wide for vice-related activities in 2009, as compared with 5047 arrests in 2008. Director of the Criminal Investigation Department, Senior Assistant Commissioner of Police, Ng Boon Gay said, " This is a landmark case which shows our resolve to tackle vice from all angles. On top of enforcement efforts, Police will also work closely with other stakeholders such as the Hotel Licensing Board and Urban Redevelopment Authority to ensure that the hotels are not used for illicit or immoral purposes. Hotel owners who knowingly allow illicit activities within their premises will be taken to task."