JOHOR BARU: A total of 23 foreigners from three countries have been arrested for working without permits here.
Johor Immigration director Baharuddin Tahir said those detained, all women, were arrested in an operation codenamed Ops Gegar in Masai at about 5.30pm on Thursday (Jan 18).
“A group of our enforcement officers raided four premises during the operation in Masai.
“We found 23 foreigners working as masseuses in those premises without valid working passes.
"They are believed to have misused their social visit pass and temporary employment visit pass (PLKS),” he said in a statement on Friday (Jan 19).
He said 17 of those arrested were from Vietnam, four from Indonesia, and two from Thailand.
“We also seized six sets of massage equipment, 10 condoms, six access cards and RM2,275 in cash,” he said, adding that the women were between the ages of 21 and 42.
He said the case is being investigated under Section 6(1)(c) of the Immigration Act 1959/63 (Act 155) for not having any valid pass or permit to stay in Malaysia, Section 15(1)(c) of the same Act for staying in the country longer than allowed, and Rule 39(b) of the Immigration Regulations 1963 for violating the terms of their passes.
“A total of nine notices to appear at Immigration were also issued to other individuals to assist in investigations,” he said.
