Malaysian immigration officers raided a three-star hotel in central Kuala Lumpur and discovered it had been converted into a brothel. The operation led to the arrest of 37 foreigners and seven Malaysian men for further investigation.
According to Immigration Department director-general Datuk Ruslin Jusoh, those detained included 17 Indonesian women, nine Thai women, six Vietnamese women, one Laotian woman, one Indonesian man, two Myanmar men, and one Indian man.
Their ages ranged from 19 to 61. Investigations revealed that some had overstayed their visas, others had no valid documents, and at least 12 foreign women were misusing their visas.
Authorities believe the syndicate behind the operation had been running the business for a year, since September 2023. Customers were able to book sex workers either by browsing photos shared through WhatsApp or by choosing directly at the hotel, with services costing between RM250 and RM400 (about S$72 to S$115) per hour. All detainees were taken to the Immigration Department headquarters in Putrajaya for questioning.
Entertainment Centre in Negeri Sembilan Also Raided
Separately, immigration officers raided an entertainment outlet in Nilai, Negeri Sembilan, managed by Myanmar nationals. Twenty-one Myanmar women, aged between 25 and 40, were arrested. One of them was identified as the venue’s supervisor, while the rest worked as hostesses.
The centre only opened on weekends and catered exclusively to Myanmar patrons, with each hostess charging between RM150 and RM200 (S$43 to S$57) for accompanying customers. Checks revealed that the outlet had been operating for three months. Among those detained, 12 lacked valid documents and eight had overstayed.
The women were brought to Putrajaya for investigation, while five men and another Myanmar woman were summoned for questioning.
Authorities said they will continue cracking down on illegal vice activities, stressing that such cases often involve exploitation and immigration offences.