Shanmugam slams unjustified criticism about police officers raiding brothel in ski masks and with battering rams

Home Affairs and Law Minister K. Shanmugam has slammed criticism about enforcement tactics used in police raids, following a viral Facebook post that showed police in full ski masks using battering rams to enter a brothel at Rowell Road.

22 work pass holders were arrested as the result of the multiple raids conducted at Rowell Road.

In a Facebook post on Dec 9, Shanmugam said, "I fully support the police in their actions and their tactics that they have adopted."

He stressed that speed and surprise are key elements during police raids, adding that the police 'cannot be expected to knock on the door, and wait for a response.'

He also explained the rationale behind the police using ski masks in the raid, "The police wear masks during such operations because criminal gangs could go for them, if their identities are known."

He added that the police are acting to protect everyone from illegal vice activities and that the sympathies on the women involved in the vice trade are 'deeply-flawed and misplaced'.

Shanmugam followed up with another Facebook post on Dec 10, giving more background information about the police raids conducted at Rowell Road.

He said that the occupants were trying to evade arrest and many of the people arrested were transgender sex workers. One 16-year-old underage male sex worker was also picked up.

A lady who was filming the police operations later made a Facebook post criticising the police. She said that the police were wasting taxpayer money and terrorising women.

"If she really believes these allegations, she should write in to lodge a complain," said the Home Affairs and Law Minister.

The original Facebook post by the lady in which she had criticised the police raids has since been deleted.

Calling the criticism 'unjustified' , Shanmugam also stated that police officers are held to higher standards compared to members of the public.

He rebutted the attacks made against the police, adding, "Such attacks do a huge disservice to the men and women in blue who put their lives at risk every day to make Singapore safe for all of us."