KUALA LUMPUR, March 16 — Eighty foreign guest relations officers (GROs) were detained in a raid on eight entertainment premises and massage centres suspected of running prostitution activities around the capital and Selangor, yesterday.

The seven-hour “Ops Noda” was mounted from 6.50pm yesterday by the Bukit Aman Special Task Force for Anti-Vice, Gaming and Gangsterism (STAGG).

STAGG assistant director, SAC Khairi Ahrasa said those detained were 66 Vietnamese nationals, seven Indonesians, and three others from Thailand, the Philippines and China.

He said police also arrested 16 men and four local women who were customers and caretakers of the premises.

“Police also seized cash amounting to RM6,755, massage and game devices, five mobile phones, 336 pieces of condoms, two walkie talkie sets, receipts and documents related to the business,” he told Bernama here, today.

Khairi said the raid was conducted in several Kuala Lumpur areas including Jalan Kuchai Lama, Kuchai Entrepreneur Park, Kepong Entrepreneur Park, Laman Rimbunan as well as Bandar Mahkota Cheras and Cheras Maju Business Centre in Selangor.

He said initial investigations revealed that, in addition to massage and entertainment activities the premises also provided sexual services to customers at RM150 per call.

He said the suspects, aged between 25 to 32 years were being investigated under Section 6(1)© of the Immigration Act 1959/63 for entering Malaysia without valid permit, Section 55 (B) of the same Act for hiring foreign workers without proper permit and Section 39 (b) of the Immigration Regulations 1963 for abusing the social visit pass.

In addition, he said investigations were also carried out in accordance with Section 12 of the Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act 2007 (ATIPSOM) and Sections 372A and 372B of the Penal Code for living on earnings of prostitution and soliciting for prostitution purposes. — Bernama