PETALING JAYA: Raids carried out by the Immigration Department at several spas across the Klang Valley resulted in the arrest of 19 foreign women.
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In a statement issued on Thursday (Jan 29), Immigration Department director-general Datuk Zakaria Shaaban said the operations were conducted at three locations in Kuala Lumpur and one in Puchong after two weeks of surveillance.
He said enforcement officers raided premises operating as beauty centres and spas, leading to the detention of 12 Filipino nationals, six Vietnamese nationals and one Mongolian national, aged between 22 and 48.
Seven local men were also issued notices requiring them to report to the department to assist with further investigations.
Investigations revealed that three of the detainees were using social visit passes, 12 were holding domestic helper passes, and one had entered the country on a student pass, while the remaining individuals had no valid travel documents.
Authorities seized 13 passports as well as RM1,500 in cash, believed to be proceeds from immoral activities.
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Zakaria said the premises used valid business licences as beauty centres or spas, complete with signboards and legitimate-looking beauty services, to evade detection. Promotions were not done openly but instead shared discreetly through Telegram and WhatsApp with selected customers.
Customers were initially offered regular massage services, with additional services provided using coded communication. The premises had also been renovated and fitted with strict security systems.
Fees for the services ranged between RM180 and RM250, and the operation was believed to have been running since March last year.
All those detained have been taken to the Immigration Department headquarters in Putrajaya for further investigation.
-Thestar