Johor Police Detain 213 Foreign Women, Three Locals In Entertainment Outlet Raid

JOHOR BAHRU, May 14 (Bernama) -- The police detained 213 foreign women and three local men believed to be working as guest relations officers (GROs) during a raid at an entertainment outlet here on May 3.

Johor deputy police chief Hoo Chuan Huat said a team from the D7 Division of the Criminal Investigation Department at the Johor Police Contingent Headquarters raided the Lunar Club premises in the city at about 2.30 am under Ops Noda.

The three local men detained were aged between 22 and 36, while the foreign women were between 19 and 45 years old.

“Police also detained another local man wanted for a drug-related offence.

“Checks found the three local suspects had previous criminal records, while urine screening tests on all detainees were negative for drugs,” he said in a statement tonight.

Hoo said the local suspects were remanded for four days from May 3 to 6 under Section 117 of the Criminal Procedure Code, while the foreign detainees were remanded for 14 days until May 15 under Section 51(5)(b) of the Immigration Act 1959/63.

Police also seized two mobile phones, 10 sales record slips for flower garlands and two e-wallet machines during the raid.

He said investigation papers had been completed and referred to the Johor prosecution director’s office, with the premises owner to be charged under Section 11(2) of the Johor Entertainment and Places of Entertainment Enactment 4/98 and Section 55E of the Immigration Act 1959/63.

Meanwhile, 103 foreign women will be charged under Regulation 39(b) of the Immigration Regulations 1959/63, nine under Section 15(1)(c), and two others under Section 6(1)(c) of the same Act.

All suspects will be charged at the Johor Bahru Magistrate’s Court tomorrow, while those with valid travel documents and not linked to other offences will be released.

-- BERNAMA