RM13M SEIZED IN VICE RAID
3 men nabbed in connection with suspected prostitution syndicate
THE final tally of the massive amount of cash seized from a suspected prostitution syndicate in Sabah by Immigration officers on Friday stood at just a shade over RM13 million.
Immigration Department director-general Datuk Seri Mustafar Ali said the majority of the money — RM11.88 million — was found in a room in the same hotel in Kota Kinabalu where 17 foreign women were rescued.
Another RM1.17 million, he said, was found at an apartment not far from the hotel.
Mustafar confirmed that three men, aged between 30 and 50, one of whom was a Filipino, were arrested.
“We believe that they acted as middlemen for the syndicate... further investigations are being conducted,” he said after witnessing the passing-out parade of Immigration officers who had completed basic training course at the Malaysian Immigration Academy here yesterday.
The operation against the syndicate, codenamed Op Gegar, saw Immigration officers first raid the hotel where they rescued the foreign women and seized the larger stash of cash.
They were then led to the apartment, where they discovered the remaining amount of money.
“This is a very high-profile case as this is the first time that the department handled a case involving a huge amount of money.
“All angles are being looked into and we are trying to determine who the mastermind of the syndicate is and the purpose for (such a big amount of) money,” said Mustafar.
“Some were packed and hidden in plastic bags and boxes. This is the biggest catch in the history of the department.”
On whether there was a possibility that the hotel was being used as a centre for prostitution, he said the department had not ruled this out.
“A special team from the headquarters has been sent to Sabah to lead and coordinate the probe.”
He said police would also help the department with the investigation.
The case, he said, was being investigated under Section 13 of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Smuggling of Migrants Act 2007 and the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001.