Cops detain 18 in Johor for alleged prostitution

ISKANDAR PUTERI: Police here have detained 18 foreigners in a raid on a Taman Pulai Utama shopping complex here for prostitution activities and running massage centres without a licence.

Iskandar Puteri OCPD Asst Comm Dzulkhairi Mukhtar said that the raid was conducted at about 5pm on Friday (Jan 14) at four different premises inside the mall.

"The raid was conducted under ‘Ops Noda’ and initial investigations revealed that all of the foreigners were working as caretakers of the premises and workers," he said.

"We have arrested six men aged between 30 and 60 and 12 women aged between 30 and 40," he added in a statement here on Saturday (Jan 15).

ACP Dzuklhairi said the foreigners were from Indonesia, Thailand, and the Philippines, and added that police confiscated 18 condoms, nine towels, tissues, massage oil, a work schedule, a massage price package card, and cash worth RM920.

All of the suspects have been remanded for 14 days starting Jan 15.

The case is being investigated under Section 372 of the Penal Code for prostitution, Section 55B, Section 39b, and Section 6(1)(c) of the Immigration Act 1959/63 for employing a person without a valid pass, breach of the permit, and illegal entry.