A prostitution syndicate believed to be operating in a highly organised manner with tight security controls and CCTV monitoring was uncovered during a raid by the Immigration Department at a shoplot along Jalan Tun Siew Sin on Tuesday.
Immigration Department director-general Zakaria Shaaban said the operation, known as Ops Gegar, was carried out at about 3.30pm by a multi-rank enforcement team together with the department’s Special Tactical Team (PASTAK), Intelligence and Special Operations Division, as well as officers from Kuala Lumpur City Hall.
According to Zakaria, authorities conducted month-long intelligence gathering before moving in on the premises.
Checks at the location uncovered 29 individuals inside the building, including two Malaysians. Following inspections, 24 foreign nationals were detained.
Those arrested comprised nine Indonesian women, seven Bangladeshi women, five Bangladeshi men, as well as one man each from Nepal, Indonesia and Myanmar.
Initial investigations revealed that the syndicate allegedly offered direct sex services to customers through caretakers operating from the third and fourth floors of the building.
Authorities believe the syndicate charged between RM80 and RM120 per session, with each session lasting around 15 minutes.
Zakaria said the women involved in the activities were arranged in two separate shifts to ensure smooth operations, with the day shift running from 10am to 8pm and the night shift operating from 8pm until 5am.
He added that the illegal premises was heavily monitored to avoid detection by enforcement authorities.
“The internal management of the premises was handled by a foreign national known as ‘Captain’, while the external area was monitored by a local man referred to as ‘Abang Long Kawasan’, whose role was to filter and monitor customer movements,” he said.
Besides physical surveillance and CCTV systems, the syndicate also strategically chose a location near a busy bus station to blend in with surrounding activities and avoid suspicion.
However, PASTAK intelligence officers successfully penetrated the syndicate’s security network and gathered crucial tactical information that led to the successful raid.
During the operation, authorities also seized several items believed to have been used in the activities, including record books, condoms, lubricants and CCTV equipment.
All detained foreign nationals have since been placed at the Putrajaya Immigration Depot for further investigation under Section 6(1)(c) and Section 15(1)(c) of the Immigration Act 1959/63 as well as Regulation 39(b) of the Immigration Regulations 1963.
