KUALA LUMPUR: The Immigration Department has uncovered an alleged prostitution syndicate operating out of a three-star hotel along Jalan Cheras following an early morning raid on Saturday (July 11).
The operation, conducted at about 1.05am by the Kuala Lumpur Immigration Department, was carried out following intelligence gathering and surveillance.
During the raid, enforcement officers found several foreign women entertaining customers in designated hotel rooms. Investigators also believed one of the hotel rooms was being used as a waiting area for the women before they met clients.
Initial investigations revealed that the alleged sex services were advertised through social media applications, with customers paying between RM200 and RM230 before being arranged by a local man believed to be acting as the syndicate's coordinator, or "captain".
One of the women detained, a 21-year-old Indonesian, claimed she entered Malaysia in April on a tourist pass after being told by a friend about the job opportunity.
She alleged that she usually served only one customer a day and received about RM100 in commission for each client.
Meanwhile, a local woman working at the hotel's front desk admitted she was aware of the alleged activities at the premises but declined to elaborate further.
Kuala Lumpur Immigration director Hamsha Injau said eight individuals were detained during the operation, comprising six women and two men.
"The women consisted of five Indonesians and one Thai national. The two men are a local believed to be the syndicate's coordinator and a Nepalese national who worked at the hotel," he said.
Hamsha said checks found that the foreign nationals were believed to have committed immigration offences, including overstaying and abusing the conditions of their passes.
He added that the Kuala Lumpur Immigration Department would continue carrying out enforcement operations without compromise against anyone found violating the country's immigration laws.
