27 Foreign GROs Held In Raid On Unlicensed Entertainment Centre

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 2 (Bernama) -- Twenty-seven foreign women suspected of working as guest relation officers (GRO) were detained in a raid under #KLStrikeForce Op Noda at an unlicensed entertainment centre on Jalan Pasar Baharu Pudu here yesterday.

During the 5.40 pm raid, 16 Vietnamese and 11 Chinese women were found attending to customers before several of them attempted to escape and hide, with some concealing themselves under the kitchen sink and within storage areas of the premises.

Kuala Lumpur Police Chief Datuk Rusdi Mohd Isa said the women’s restroom at the entertainment centre had been modified with a small door designed to function as an escape route.

He said officers from the Anti-Vice, Gambling and Secret Societies Division (D7) of the Kuala Lumpur Police Contingent Headquarters and the Dang Wangi District Police Headquarters also detained a local man believed to be the caretaker of the premises and an Indonesian male worker.

“This premises operated covertly and tried to avoid detection by authorities by keeping the front door closed and allowing only regular patrons to enter through the back entrance. However, police were able to thwart this tactic,” he said in a statement today.

According to Rusdi, police also inspected 53 local individuals, comprising 47 men and six women, aged between 34 and 44, believed to be customers.

All detainees, aged between 24 and 67, were taken to the Dang Wangi District Police Headquarters for documentation purposes.

The case is being investigated under Sections 55B, 39(b) and 6(1)(c) of the Immigration Act 1959/63 and Section 4(1)(b) of the Entertainment (Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur) Act 1992.

-- BERNAMA