WECHAT SEX SYNDICATE BUSTED
26 women detained in 2 hotel raids, RM10,700 in illicit gains seized
AN international prostitution syndicate that offered sex services through WeChat has been crippled by the Immigration Department in a raid here and in Subang Jaya on Friday.
Immigration Department director-general Datuk Seri Mustafar Ali said the syndicate charged between RM300 and RM450 for 45 minutes of service. He added that the syndicate used a four-star hotel in Petaling Jaya for its activities.
Mustafar said the raids, part of Ops Gegar, was conducted by the department’s intelligence, special operation and analysis division based on surveillance and public information.
“During the first raid at a hotel in Petaling Jaya, the team nabbed 14 foreign women, consisting nine Mongolians, two Chinese and one Uzbek, Kyrgyz and Vietnamese national, who were operating in separate rooms at three different floors.
“Apart from the 14 women, we also arrested two Malaysian men, believed to be the prostitutes’ caretakers.”
Mustafar said the syndicate only “advertised” their services on WeChat.
“They were using WeChat as their platform to connect with potential customers. They also conned their customers by claiming that the women are from South Korea and Japan.”
He said in the two-day raids, the department also swooped on another hotel in Subang Jaya, which was used as a “base” by the same syndicate. In the second raid, Immigration arrested another 12 women and seized RM10,700, believed to be payments for their services.
“All were detained under the Immigration Act 1959/63, Passport Act 1966 and Immigration Regulations 1963 for various offences. They are being held at the Bukit Jalil Depot,” he said.