BUTTERWORTH: The Malaysian Immigration Department (JIM) detained 35 foreign guest relations officers (GROs) during a raid on an entertainment outlet early today.
The women, aged between 23 and 45, were found hiding in a concealed room at the premises.
JIM Enforcement Division director Basri Osman said the group included 19 Vietnamese, 14 Thais, one Chinese, and one Laotian national.
Two male Chinese nationals were also detained during the operation.
A total of 73 local men, suspected to be customers, were inspected by authorities.
Basri revealed that the outlet had 10 rooms, each with hidden spaces behind sofas and speakers.
A secret room was also discovered inside the toilet area.
All entry points, including the lift, had been disabled to obstruct the raid.
Officers were forced to break down the door to gain access to the seventh-floor premises.
The outlet had reportedly been operating for over a year under tight surveillance.
CCTV cameras and suspected informants may have alerted the operator about the raid.
Investigations showed the GROs were paid between RM250 and RM300 per hour.
A large sum of cash, believed to be payments, was seized at the location.
The case is being investigated under the Immigration Act 1959/1963.
All detainees were taken to the Seberang Jaya Immigration Office for further questioning.
They will later be transferred to the Jawi Immigration Detention Depot.
The operation involved 45 personnel from JIM headquarters and state offices.
It began at 12.30 am and concluded at 2.30 am. – Bernama
