Man rents homes in Woodlands and Yishun for vice activities

A 26-YEAR-OLD tenant from China rented out his condominium apartment in Woodlands to three prostitutes in April and May, a district court heard.

But the sex workers, also from China, refused to open the door to policemen after the condo's estate manager reported her suspicion of vice activities, forcing officers to break into the unit.

The next month, the tenant and two of the prostitutes were again nabbed in an anti-vice raid at a Yishun flat.

This time, the sex workers had also overstayed in Singapore.

Yesterday, the tenant, Dong Bin, was jailed for three months and fined $12,000.

He pleaded guilty to two charges of living on the earnings of a prostitute, and one count of permitting a place to be used as a brothel.

Two similar charges were considered in sentencing.

Dong earned $6,300 in total from his vice-related activities.

The court heard he rented a Woodsvale condo in Woodlands Drive 72 in April, knowing it was to be used as a brothel.

A compatriot, who was known to him as Zhang Ge, had asked him to rent a home anywhere in Singapore where the rooms could be sublet to sex workers.

For each unit that he rented, Zhang would deduct $2,000 from Dong's debts to him.

Dong was also promised at least $40 a day, if he helped Zhang to collect the room rental from each prostitute.

Dong rented the Woodlands condo unit with his details and the particulars of a friend.

He paid $2,400 in rental and signed an agreement with the owner and property agent.

Zhang passed him $4,800; Dong handed over the agreement and house keys. Zhang rented the rooms out to the three prostitutes aged 21, 23 and 37.

But on May 26, suspecting vice activities due to the number of people entering and leaving the unit, the estate manager called the police.

Despite repeated knocks on the door by officers from the Jurong Police Division, the occupants refused to open up and policemen had to break into the unit. 

Three prostitutes admitted to providing sexual services there and were arrested on suspicion of having breached immigration laws.

Dong was also called up for investigations and released.

But just four days later, he rented a unit at Block 665 Yishun Avenue 4, again at Zhang's behest.

Zhang's identity has not been established.