Johor Immigration dept nabs ‘flower girls’ in entertainment centre raid
JOHOR BARU, March 18 — The Johor Immigration Department has arrested 44 foreigners during a raid at an entertainment centre in Iskandar Puteri last weekend.
The raid, part of an Immigration Department operation called “Ops Gegar”, targeted foreign women who acted as stage entertainers that are popular in nightspots here.
Johor Immigration director Baharuddin Tahir said the raid, initiated from public tip-offs, took place on last Friday at 12.10am.
He said the department was made aware that there have been cases of foreign women involved with immoral activities and were illegally working in the country without proper documentation or permits.
“A total of 42 foreign women, who worked as ‘flower girls’, were arrested. The raid included their living quarters located on the third floor of the premise.
“Initial investigations revealed that each woman is paid between RM50 and RM500 for their services.
“Further checks revealed that the women had violated their social visit passes and temporary employment visit passes,” said Baharuddin in a statement today.
In addition, Baharuddin said the department’s enforcement team also arrested two men from China and Bangladesh to assist in investigations.
Johor Immigration Department enforcement officers during a raid at an entertainment centre in Iskandar Puteri where 44 foreigners were nabbed last weekend. — Picture courtesy of Johor Immigration Department
He said out of the 42 foreign women, 40 were from Thailand while one was from Indonesia and another from Myanmar.
“All those arrested are between the ages of 25 and 45,” he said.
Baharuddin said the case is being investigated under Section 15(1)(c) of the Immigration Act 1959/1963 for overstaying and Rule 11(7)(a) of the Immigration Regulations 1963 for violating their social visit passes.
In a separate case, the Johor Immigration Department arrested 63 foreigners for working without proper permits in several raids here last week.
Baharuddin said the raids, held from March 13 to March 17, saw 26 premises inspected within the Johor Baru district.
“Those arrested were 21 men from Bangladesh, eight men from India, eight men from Nepal, six men from Pakistan, two men from Indonesia, five women from Indonesia and one woman from the Philippines.
“In addition, there were also four men, four women, two boys and a girl, all from Myanmar who were apprehended during the raids,” he said, adding that those arrested were aged between 3 and 61.
Baharuddin said the case is being investigated under Section 6(1)(c) and Section 15(1)(c) of the Immigration Act of 1959/63 for entering the country without valid travel documents and overstaying.
He added that authorities are also investigating the case under Section 39(b) of the Immigration Regulations 1963 for violating their visit pass requirements.
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.
