Foreigners have been spotted working illegally in the Boat Quay area, even as the authorities continued their crackdown on illicit activities at entertainment outlets around Singapore.
Women from Eastern European bloc countries including Russia, Ukraine, Georgia and Belarus have been operating outside a pub in Circular Road, where they get men to buy them a "special" margarita drink at $100 a glass.
It buys the customer time with the women, until the drink is finished. Payment is made to employees of the bar.
The Sunday Times understands the arrangement sometimes leads to offers of sexual services for a fee.
Entertainment outlets in the area were targeted in a series of police raids in 2022 and 2023, with the authorities seeking to crack down on illicit activities including solicitation.
In 2022, before Covid-19 restrictions were fully lifted at public entertainment and nightlife joints, police checked more than 350 people and arrested dozens at outlets around town, including in the Circular Road area.
Boat Quay and other entertainment districts like Little India, Geylang and Chinatown were again targeted in raids conducted between Nov 15 and Dec 18, 2023.
This story is from the March 10, 2024 edition of The Straits Times.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the March 10, 2024 edition of The Straits Times.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
FURIOUS FURY BLOODIED IN SAUDI
Tyson’s father hurt after headbutting Usyk’s team member ahead of heavyweight bout
Celtics 'figure' a way out against depleted Cavs
The Boston Celtics were not \"perfect\" but they still fought off the short-handed Cleveland Cavaliers to take a stranglehold in their National Basketball Association (NBA) semi-final play-offs on May 13, as the Oklahoma City Thunder levelled their series with the Dallas Mavericks.
COMING UP BIG FOR NYJC
Renfred plays no small role as Nanyang beat HCI to retain boys’ A Div volleyball crown
UNBEATEN PACIFIC VAMPIRE UNVEILS SCARY WARNING
Trainer Ong’s latest find leaves nothing to imagination, baring fangs in dazzling hitout
Nearly 2 in 3 Singapore workers ready to relocate abroad
Survey shows 72% of them are professionals below age 30; Australia most popular location
Life insurance sales in Singapore surge 32.2% to $1.37 billion in Ql
It is the industry’s strongest performance since 2020; LIA says outlook remains bright
GameStop shares soar on resurfacing of Roaring Kitty’
Post by Keith Gill, who drove meme-stock mania of 2021, attracts more than 12m views
Fraud concerns raise red flags for India’s booming tiny IPOs
A string of accounting frauds unearthed by India's securities regulator in May poses another risk to the blistering rally in shares of tiny businesses.
Retail traders sitting out Bitcoin rally
Latest revival more an institutional affair propelled by birth of Bitcoin ETFs in the US
Man with most number of charges forfeits 180 million in assets seize
Vang Shuiming jailed after pleading guilty; he will be deported after serving sentence
