DENGKIL, Feb 21 — Eight premises run by foreign nationals offering various illegal beauty services since 2019 for as low as between RM350 and RM8,000, cheaper than licensed and accredited beauty centres, were uncovered during raids by the Immigration Department today.

Its director-general Datuk Seri Khairul Dzaimee Daud said the raids were mounted on the premises in the Klang Valley, Selangor, Negri Sembilan and Penang where 21 foreigners working at the premises were detained.

He said the arrests involved five Indonesian women, 15 Vietnamese women and a Vietnamese male, aged from 25 to 40 years old, following intelligence work for the past five months.

"All those detained were found to be working in the premises providing services including services requiring the use of certain medical devices such as rhinoplasty for nose beautification treatment, filler treatment to enlarge certain body parts, teeth whitening treatment, vitamin C and botox injections and slimming.

"Generally, customers were attracted by their modus operandi of imposing an RM350 charge for eye filler, RM1,900 for breast filler, RM3,500 for botox filler and RM8,000 for plastic surgery,” he told a media conference after taking part in the operation in Southville City here today.

Khairul Dzaimee added the beauty centres promoted their services through social media to lure customers.

"They use the Wechat, Facebook and Instagram platforms for the purpose and generally the customers were Malaysian citizens such as housewives and executives,” he said.

He said further investigations found that all those detained did not have professional skills and were not recognised by the Ministry of Health (MOH) which could pose the risks of death, organ and bodily damages.

He said the suspects were detained under Section 6(1)(c) and Section 15(1)(c) of the Immigration Act 1959/63 (Act 155), for entering and staying in Malaysia without a passport or valid pass and overstaying after the expiry of their passes in addition to Rule 39(b) of the Immigration Regulations 1963. — Bernama