PUTRAJAYA: The Immigration Department have detained 69 individuals, including 31 foreign nationals, in a raid on two entertainment venues along Jalan Klang Lama in Kuala Lumpur.
In a statement today, Immigration director-general Datuk Zakaria Shaaban said those arrested included 26 foreign women and 38 Malaysians. The foreign nationals, aged between 23 and 35, comprised 14 from Thailand, seven each from Laos and Vietnam, two from Bangladesh and one from Singapore.
He said the group was held for various immigration offences, including lacking identification documents, overstaying visas and misusing permits, all violations under the Immigration Act 1959/63 (Act 155).
“Intelligence gathered over a three-day period revealed the clubs had been operating for the past two years,” Zakaria said.
The venues were found to be employing foreign women as hostesses, working from 3 pm to 2 am. During the raid, several women were seen entertaining local and foreign customers.
Patrons who were satisfied with the service reportedly rewarded the women with coloured sashes, differentiated by number and colour, ranging in value from 100 to 5,000, based on the level of service provided.
All detainees have been transferred to the Bukit Jalil Immigration Detention Depot for further investigation.
Zakaria said enforcement will continue under the Act 155, the Passport Act 1966, Immigration Regulations 1963 and the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act 2007 (ATIPSOM).
