84 foreign GROs held during raid at KL entertainment centre - IGP

KUALA LUMPUR: The Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) arrested a total of 84 foreign women suspected of working as guest relations officers (GROs) at an unlicensed entertainment centre in Bukit Bintang here, on Sunday (July 23).

These women, aged 18 to 46, were arrested in a raid conducted by the Crime Prevention Unit, D7 Division of the Bukit Aman Criminal Investigation Department at 1.10 am.

Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Razarudin Husain said that nine other individuals including the centre's manager and employees, aged between 31 and 45, were also arrested.

He said the police also inspected 22 local GROs and 46 employees as well as 336 customers and of that number six customers tested positive for methamphetamine and ketamine.

"During the raid, the police also seized sales receipts, GRO employee receipts, liquor, one mobile phone unit, two video recorder units, two microphone units and RM14,862 in cash," he said in a statement today.

Razarudin said all detainees and seizures were taken to the Dang Wangi district police headquarters for further investigation.

He added that the entertainment centre has a KTV concept that provides a total of 17 karaoke rooms according to payment packages, starting from RM3,800 to RM25,0000, as well as providing foreign and local GROs upon request with fixed payment rates.

"The centre which operates from 8 pm to 6 am every day was found to be operating without a valid entertainment centre licence while also abusing the restaurant licence issued by the Kuala Lumpur City Hall.

"PDRM advises all entertainment centre operators to comply with all regulations set if they want to run an entertainment business," he said.

Razarudin said PDRM will monitor the entertainment centres and stern action will be taken if there are still entertainment centre operators who carry out prohibited activities such as employing foreign GROs, prostitution and the sale/use of drugs at the premises.

-- BERNAMA