Written Reply to Parliamentary Question on Update on Cases of Suspected Trafficking in Persons in Singapore by Mr Teo Chee Hean, Deputy Prime Minister, Coordinating Minister for National Security and Minister for Home Affairs

Question:

Mr Christopher De Souza : To ask the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs if he can provide an update on the number of (i)on-going investigations; and, (ii)arrests relating to cases of suspected trafficking in persons in Singapore.

Answer:

1. In 2014, Police received information on and investigated 49 cases of alleged sex trafficking. 25 cases were found to be substantiated sex trafficking cases. Of these, Police prosecuted two cases involving 11 offenders, 18 other cases are pending court proceedings or further investigations, and five cases were not prosecuted in Court. Of the 24 cases that were found not to involve sex trafficking, 12 are pending court proceedings or further investigations for offences under the Women's Charter or Penal Code, while no offences were found to have been committed for the remaining 12 cases.

2. Separately, the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) received information on and investigated 43 cases of alleged labour trafficking in 2014. Two cases, involving two offenders, were prosecuted in Court. Of the 41 cases that were found not to involve labour trafficking, 12 are pending court proceedings or further investigations for violation of employment laws, while the remaining 29 cases involved employment-related disputes and were not prosecuted in Court.