Torture room found in luxurious massage den
TAWAU: A raid at a health spa by the Immigration Department on Wednesday night, revealed it was conducting immoral activities and even had what is believed to be a torture room.
Twenty-five immigrants, including 19 women, were detained while three suspected pimps managed to escape in the 8.30pm operation.
District Immigration Department head Noraini Hj Rasi said the men and women aged between 20 and 61, were arrested for entering the state illegally and three Malaysian men who are employers were also held for employing illegal immigrants.
She said those caught were one Indonesian woman, 18 Filipinos including 12 women, six Thai women and three Malaysian men.
The operation, headed by Noraini, concentrated at the health spa, cafe, mini market and around Takada shop building area.
She said 50 people were checked and those detained would be investigated under Section 6(1)(c) of the Immigration Act 1959/63 for entering the state illegally while the Malaysians were apprehended under Section 55(B) of the same Act for employing illegals.
Noraini added that the department had been monitoring the place for three weeks before conducting the operation and she believed the area was protected by certain individuals.
She said the area was very big and had three floors. The bar at the ground floor was connected to the massage area on the third floor which was very luxurious.
She added the quarters for the women were very bad and smelly and believed there could be migrants trafficking, which the department would investigate under the AntiTrafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act 2017.