Op Gegar: Detained By Immigration After Only Two Days On The Job

IPOH, Aug 11 (Bernama) -- A Thai woman’s plan to earn a quick income was cut short when she was arrested by the Immigration Department for allegedly abusing her social visit pass to work at a massage parlour.

The 25-year-old claimed she had arrived in Malaysia only three days earlier, travelling by bus from Bangkok via Hatyai and entering through the border.

She said she had so far earned about RM100 in commissions, RM50 for each of two customers, over two days of work.

When asked about the services provided, she alleged that the RM110 package paid at the counter included massage services and oral sex.

She was among three Thai nationals detained during an Op Gegar raid carried out jointly by the Perak, Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Immigration offices last night at a massage parlour in Tambun.

At a press conference, state Immigration director Datuk James Lee Perak said 54 foreign women were detained during simultaneous raids at 13 locations across Ipoh. 

The suspects, aged between 20 and 35, comprised 48 Thai nationals, two Indonesians and four Vietnamese are being investigated for various offences under the Immigration Act 1959/63 and Immigration Regulations 1963.

“Our focus tonight is to crack down on immoral activities, especially at massage parlours. The intelligence team conducted 14 days of surveillance before enforcement officers moved in,” Lee told a press conference, adding that 91 officers were involved in the operation.

He said most of the women entered the country on social visit passes but were caught working illegally. Some also offered outcall services to customers’ homes and used TikTok and WhatsApp to attract clients, charging between RM50 and RM100.

Immigration officers also picked up 54 local and foreign male customers, who were taken to the Ipoh Immigration Office for further questioning as witnesses.

-- BERNAMA