Immigration Dept busts syndicate exploiting foreign maids, cleaners

PUTRAJAYA: The Immigration Department has busted a syndicate that exploited foreign women who worked as daily maids and cleaners in a special operation conducted in Temerloh, Pahang on May 16.

Immigration director-general Datuk Ruslin Jusoh said 10 Indonesian women, believed to be victims of the syndicate, were rescued during raids at two premises at about 7pm.

In a statement on Monday (May 22), he said the women, aged between 23 and 50, were carrying social visit passes that were expired.

Also detained was an Indonesian woman in her 30s, also a holder of an expired social visit pass, who is believed to have been supervising the women.

Following the first raid, at about 8.30pm, the Immigration team raided a job recruitment agency and detained its owner, in her 40s, who is believed to have brought in the foreigners and was managing the syndicate’s operations.

"The modus operandi of this syndicate is to use women who are foreign nationals to work as daily maids and cleaners at residential homes,” he said, adding that the syndicate charged between RM150 and RM250 a day for the services.

Ruslin said the syndicate has been operating for more than two years and is believed to have raked in a profit of RM900,000 a year.

He said the victims told the raiding team that they have yet to receive their wages in cash from the syndicate.

They were also denied off days or the opportunity to use handphones to contact their families, he added.

The women have been placed at the Immigration Depot here for further investigation as they are suspected of committing violating several immigration laws and regulations.

The job agency owner has been released on police bail, he added.- Bernama