Beauty centre raided for employing foreigners without permit, MOH approval

KUALA LUMPUR: The Immigration Department arrested five Indonesians, including three women, for working without valid documents at a beauty centre in Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman here yesterday.

Kuala Lumpur Immigration Department director Syamsul Badrin Mohshin said they were aged between 24 and 31, and did not have any beauty care qualifications, were arrested through Op Dandan by the division's Operational Intelligence and Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Migrant Smuggling Unit.

He said the premises run by locals committed an offence under the Immigration Act and Regulations and offered facial beauty services and installation of braces (illegal dentistry) without the approval of the Ministry of Health (MOH).

"Op Dandan was carried out as a result of a complaint from a member of the public in February who was a customer of the shop before suffering complications from swelling and severe bruising.

"Intelligence showed the premises did not operate until August after receiving a warning from the complainant and always appeared closed during periodic monitoring," he said at a press conference at the Kuala Lumpur Immigration Office here today.

Syamsul Badrin said from intelligence gathered by the complainant last month, it was back in operation in the same building but on a different floor and lot.

"Prior to that, the operator was believed to be offering door-to-door services at a cheap price of around RM100 to RM150 targeting locals and foreigners.

"Setting up a sting operation, several appointments were made through the complainant's WhatsApp and yesterday the trap was laid before the raid," he said.

According to him, the raid at the new shop lot also confiscated equipment for facial beauty treatment by injection and installation of dental braces (fake braces) and veneers.

"The case will be reviewed with the Ministry of Health for further action and the employer will be prosecuted for employing foreigners. All those arrested are detained at the Bukit Jalil Immigration Depot," he said.

-- BERNAMA