Between 12 November 2021 and 28 November 2021, the Secret Societies Branch of the Criminal Investigation Department and the Police Land Divisions jointly carried out a series of island-wide secret society and crime suppression operations at nightlife establishments, food & beverage (F&B) outlets and shopping malls.
During these operations, the Police conducted checks on 254 persons and arrested nine men, aged between 18 and 43, for being suspected members of unlawful societies. Among the nine men arrested during these operations, a 20-year-old man was also arrested for possession of an offensive weapon in a public place. Police investigations against the nine men are ongoing.
In one of the joint operations with Safe Distancing Enforcement Officers from the Urban Redevelopment Authority, a nightlife establishment, ‘Taboo Singapore’ c/o 57 Duxton Road, was issued with a closure order of 20 days with effect from 27 November 2021. The outlet was found to have breached Safe Management Measures (SMMs) under the COVID-19 (Temporary Measures) (Control Order) Regulations 2020. Seventeen individuals at the premises were also issued with a Notice of Composition of between $300 and $1,000 for flouting SMMs.
Anyone found guilty of being a member of an unlawful society under Section 14(3) of the Societies Act, shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $5,000, imprisonment for a term not exceeding three years, or both. The offence of possession of an offensive weapon in a public place, punishable under Section 6(1) of the Corrosive and Explosive Substances and Offensive Weapon Act, carries an imprisonment term of up to three years and caning of not less than six strokes. Anyone found guilty for non-compliance with SMMs under the COVID-19 (Temporary Measures) (Control Order) Regulations 2020, will be liable, upon their first conviction, to a fine not exceeding $10,000, imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months, or both.
The Police have zero tolerance towards secret society activities that threaten the public safety, peace, and good order, and will continue to carry out secret society and crime suppression operations at the various nightlife establishments and popular congregation hotspots throughout the year-end festive season. Firm action will be taken against those who are associated with gangs and blatantly disregard the law. Members of the public are advised to steer clear of secret society activities and to report those engaging in such unlawful activities to the Police immediately.
Source: Singapore Police Force