Immigration nabs 28, including mastermind supplying foreign massage therapists

KUALA LUMPUR: A man suspected to be the mastermind of a syndicate bringing in Thai masseuse was among 28 individuals arrested by the Immigration Department in a three-day operation from July 21 to 23 July around Johor Bahru.

Immigration director-general Datuk Seri Khairul Dzaimee Daud said the man, in his 40s, was arrested in a Proton Saga car that he was driving with four Thai women in the vehicle.

"All of the women did not possess valid passes and were believed to be on their way home to Thailand through an illegal route. All were arrested along with the mastermind of the syndicate," he said in a statement yesterday.

"Khairul Dzaimee said further to the arrest, the raiding team raided the mastermind's house and confiscated several documents related to the activities of the syndicate which supplied foreign masseuses to reflexology centers and spas in Johor Bahru and southern areas of the country.

According to Khairul Dzaimee, Immigration officers made two more raids on massage centres and spas in Taman Austin and Taman Abad in Johor Bahru that were suspected of being linked to the syndicate involved.

"As a result of the raid on the two premises, we arrested 18 women and three Thai men who worked as masseuses and two local men who were caretakers of the premises. All the 28 individuals arrested in this series of operations are between 20 and 52 years old," he said.

He said the syndicate's modus operandi was to bring in Thai massage therapists using social visit passes and based on intelligence, the syndicate also carried out immoral activities in addition to massage services.

Khairul Dzaimee said the syndicate charges between RM1,300 to RM1,500 for each masseuse it manages and is believed to be able to make a profit of up to RM30,000 a month while massage centre owners are able to earn up to RM50,000 a month.

All of the detainees were taken to the Setia Tropika Immigration Office in Johor Bahru for further action.

-- BERNAMA