‘SPA VICE GANG IN BUSINESS SINCE 2008’
Some cash mouldy, says Immigration director-general
JUST how long was the vice syndicate, from which RM13.5 million was seized last week, operating at the spa of a well-known hotel here? While the spa has been open since 1999, Immigration officers do not know how long the syndicate had been doing business there.
They believe it had been in place for at least nine years. Investigators came to this “probable conclusion” based on the condition of the cash seized.
Immigration director-general Datuk Seri Mustafar Ali said some of the cash was mouldy, indicating that the money had been kept in the same place for a “long time”.
He said some had also been wrapped with paper, with the numbers “2008” on them, perhaps indicating the year in which the money was collected.
He said most of the money was found in drawers, boxes and under beds in a room at the hotel, while the rest was found in an apartment unit nearby. The unit belonged to one of the three men arrested during the raid.
He said yesterday, Immigration officers arrested the man’s 46year-old wife at the same apartment unit in Jalan Api-Api here at noon.
The department nabbed three men last week, aged between 30 and 50, including a Filipino, for suspected involvement in the syndicate.
“The woman, who is the wife of one of the three men, is believed to be involved in the activity as we found RM1.1 million at her house during the initial raid.
“However, we are investigating to find out who is the real owner of the huge sum of money,” Mustafar said.
During last week’s raid, dubbed Op Gegar, the team found condoms, lubricants and other elements related to sex activities at the spa.
“Some of the 17 Filipinas who were found on the premises during the raid said vice activities were happening at the spa.
“We found modifications made at the spa, and workers have been using the emergency exit at the hotel to rest,” Mustafar said.
He said the department would investigate the case thoroughly, including for human trafficking, money laundering and overstaying.
He said the department would work with the Inland Revenue Board for possible tax evasion, the Companies Commission of Malaysia on details of the spa, and other agencies. He did not exclude the possibility that the case was related to an international syndicate, as one of the four suspects is a foreigner.
On how the syndicate could operate at the spa for such a long time, Sabah Police Commissioner Datuk Ramli Din told the New Straits Times that police were aware of the activities.
“We had raided the place many times and arrested many people.
“However, the money found (in last week’s Immigration raid) was found at a hotel room, not the spa.”