Immigration Dept busts vice syndicate in JB, detains 63 foreigners
JOHOR BARU, March 29 — The Immigration Department detained 63 foreigners including 48 women at an entertainment outlet in Taman Mount Austin here today.
Johor Immigration Department director Baharuddin Tahir said enforcement officers checked 93 people including customers and three local premise caretakers in the raid that started at midnight.
“Out of the total inspected, we detained 48 foreign women who were believed to be working as escorts in the raid.
“In addition, the enforcement officers also detained two women from China, three women from Thailand, three men from Nepal, two men from Vietnam, along with an Indonesian couple who were employed as the premises lookouts.
“Those detained were aged between 19 and 49. They were found to be abusing their social visit passes, temporary work visit passes, citizen’s spouse passes and not having valid travel documents,” he said in a statement today.
Baharuddin said the raiding team also managed to cripple an alleged vice syndicate that was believed to be operating in the entertainment centre with the arrest of a man and two women caretakers.
“Checks revealed that the foreign escorts were tasked by their caretakers to drink with and entertain customers.
“The foreign women are usually paid a commission for every order of alcoholic drinks and a room,” he said, adding that the women also received a tip of RM20 for any additional order.
Baharuddin said the case is being investigated under Section 6(1)(c) of the Immigration Act 1959/1963 for not having a travel permit or visit pass, Section 15(1)(c) of the same Act for overstaying and 39b of the Immigration Regulations 1963 for violating the conditions of the visit pass.
“The three local men were also detained under Section 56(1)(d) of the Immigration Act 1959/63 for illegally harbouring foreigners.
“The detained foreigners have been sent to the Johor Immigration Department’s Setia Tropika detention depot for investigation and further action,” he said.
The Immigration Department has been cracking down on undocumented migrants and visitors since last year, especially those who misuse their social visit passes to work without valid documents.
