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A FOREIGN prostitution syndicate operating from a three-star hotel along Jalan Ipoh has been dismantled following a raid by the Immigration Department of Malaysia (JIM) on Friday.
Director-General of Immigration, Datuk Zakaria Shaaban, said a total of 37 individuals, including four men aged between 19 and 61, were detained during the operation at 8.45pm. Those arrested were nationals of Myanmar, India, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam and Laos.
“The syndicate, which had been operating for about a year, used the hotel as a base to offer sex services involving foreign women,” Zakaria said in a statement issued on Sunday.
“Clients could select women based on images circulated via social media applications or by walking in. Rates ranged from RM250 to RM400 per hour.”
Preliminary checks revealed that six Thai women, three Vietnamese, two Indonesians, and one Laotian had violated the conditions of their passes.
Additionally, one Indonesian man had overstayed, while two Myanmar men, an Indian man, 15 Indonesian women, three Vietnamese women, and three Thai women were found without valid travel documents or permits.
All foreigners arrested were taken to the Immigration Department’s headquarters in Putrajaya for further action. Seven local men were issued notices to assist in the ongoing investigation.
Meanwhile, a separate raid at an entertainment venue in Nilai, Negeri Sembilan, in the early hours of Saturday uncovered a nightclub that catered exclusively to Myanmar nationals.
“Based on two weeks of intelligence gathering, our team raided the premises at 12.01am,” said Zakaria.
A Myanmar woman suspected to be the premises’ caretaker and 20 other Myanmar women believed to be hostesses aged between 25 and 40 were detained during the operation.
“The club, which has been in operation for three months, only opens from Friday to Sunday and serves Myanmar patrons exclusively,” he added.
Customers were reportedly required to purchase alcoholic drinks to gain entry and were then offered Myanmar hostesses at rates ranging from RM150 to RM200 per person.
Initial investigations found that eight of the women had overstayed their visas, while 13 others lacked any valid travel documents or permits. Officers also seized transaction record books and seven mobile phones during the operation.
All those detained were brought to Putrajaya for further processing. Five Myanmar men and one woman were served with notices to assist in the investigation. - Sept 7, 2025
