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Singapore. The online vice ring that was smashed recently may have had prostitutes who were under the age of 18, lawyers close to the case have revealed.

At least two clients went searching for prostitutes on a Web site that advertised explicitly that the women were above 20 years old, said a lawyer who is advising both of them.

However, the two men, who work in the private sector, are now under investigation for possibly having sex with prostitutes under the age of 18.

Prostitution is generally allowed here, but having paid sex with a girl under 18 is a crime under laws that were tightened in 2008.

Lawyers stressed that the onus is on the man to exercise caution and ensure the prostitute is not below 18.

The law also states that it is illegal to pimp sexual services. Patrons who engage prostitutes through vice syndicates could be called up for questioning as witnesses.

One lawyer who has been approached for help said: “My client was worried as he was on a list that was seized by the authorities, and had slept with a particular girl a few times.”

Another lawyer said his clients told him the girl looked of legal age.

The vice ring’s Web site has since been taken down, said criminal lawyer Subhas Anandan. Anandan is representing six men involved in the investigations, all working in the private sector and in their 30s and 40s.

Over the weekend, reports said that a former school principal and public servants are believed to be among the 80 men being investigated by the police for their involvement in an online vice ring.

Bankers, lawyers and other professionals from the private sector are among those who have been hauled in for questioning.

The Straits Times understands that the vice ring serviced not only people from various professions but also made use of a range of premises, from budget establishments to high-end hotels.

Chinese language evening daily Shin Min reported on Monday that the pimp involved in the vice syndicate is in his 30s.

A police spokesman said on Monday in response to Straits Times queries that between 2010 and last year, six online vice syndicates were busted. Police have previously warned about the proliferation of such syndicates and have been clamping down on them.

Last year, 5,206 women were arrested for vice-related offences, down from 7,083 in 2010 and 7,614 in 2009.

The police spokesman added that they also work closely with agencies such as the Hotel Licensing Board and Urban Redevelopment Authority to deter vice activities in public and private premises.

The police will also take legal action against landlords who knowingly allow their premises to be used for illicit activities.

“The police do not take lightly persons who hide behind the anonymity of the Internet to conduct such illicit activities,” she added.

Some of the online vice syndicates operate out of dingy budget hotels in areas like Bencoolen Street and Balestier, with the prostitute using the room as a “transit point” to meet clients.

Others use swanky five-star hotels in the city centre. But in such cases, the women — from countries such as South Korea and Russia — actually live in the hotel rooms, which are booked for the long term under preferential rates.

Syndicates using such top-end establishments can charge about three times more — prices start from around $200 for basic sex “services,” compared to about $70 for women at budget hotels.

Generally, pimps take a 60 to 70 percent cut of the earnings.

While both the high-end and budget venue syndicates post photos and details of their women online, they typically use different sorts of Web sites.

However, the method of procuring services is the same. Clients SMS the pimp, whose number is posted on the site.

The men then get a reply stating the time and place they must go to.

Some of the sophisticated syndicates post lookouts outside the top-end hotels, to ensure that the clients fit the description they gave in the SMS, said a source. At the same time, they keep tabs on the prostitutes and bring them meals thrice a day.

Meanwhile, the 39-year-old former school principal, who quit the education service unexpectedly in December, remained uncontactable. Calls and SMSes went unanswered.

Reprinted courtesy of Straits Times Indonesia. To subscribe to Straits Times Indonesia and/or the Jakarta Globe call 021 2553 5055.