More than 5000 froeign caught in 2007-Minister Wong
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http://sg.news.yahoo.com/afp/20080122/tap-lifestyle-singapore-crime-sex-
gambli-06f3cb7.html
More than 5,000 foreign sex workers caught in Singapore: minister
AFP - Tuesday, January 22SINGAPORE (AFP) - - Singapore arrested more than 5,000 foreign prostitutes last year but it is unrealistic to expect vice to be eliminated, the Home Affairs Minister has told parliament.
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Wong Kan Seng was responding to a question from an MP about efforts to curb "rampant gambling and prostitution" in Singapore's red-light Geylang district.
"The vice situation in Singapore is under control," Wong said in a written response released Tuesday.
He said police across the city-state last year conducted 950 vice-related operations, up from 890 the previous year. They arrested 5,400 foreign sex workers, a 25 percent increase over 2006, he said.
Despite its reputation as a straight-laced society, prostitution is legal in Singapore, where licensed brothels operate in designated areas such as Geylang. Pimping and public solicitation are illegal.
Foreign women working voluntarily in the sex trade cannot be arrested unless they are caught offering their services out in the street or violate immigration and other laws.
Wong, who is also a deputy prime minister, said installation of closed-circuit television cameras in Geylang has helped deter solicitation.
He said daily police operations to target gambling in the back alleys of Geylang led to 280 arrests last year and an improvement in the situation.
"Illegal gambling in Geylang is not rampant," Wong said.
"But I should add that it is not realistic to expect vice to be totally eliminated," he said, particularly as the city-state seeks to promote tourism.
"Among those who come, there will be a very small number who enter under the pretext of social visits but engage in vice activities. This is the reality which Singaporeans should face up to."
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I think the government is condone such activites esp with budget airlines...make it so cheap esp for PRC women to earn a living indulging in flesh trade-corrupting our society and breaking up families,among the many social ills.I rrecalled MM Lee also ever mentioned in one of his interviews he tolerated the vice activities esp for the coolies nad labourers who toiled and worked diligently in the 1960s but certainly not drugs...
Perhaps many say when there is demand there is supply..hence not easy to wipe out prostitution completely..not only prostitution in Geylang buy contraband cigarettes and gambling are rampant there.Even loan sharks and gangsters are common sights
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Originally posted by 787180:
Wong, who is also a deputy prime minister, said installation of closed-circuit television cameras in Geylang has helped deter solicitation.GREAT IDEA!!!!
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I congratulate them cos they are hardworking to catch them. Hope to catch them along at Geylang every night..:)