Police detain 53 foreign GROs in Georgetown

The police detained 49 foreign women who worked as guest relations officers (GRO) during a raid at an entertainment centre in Penang Road early today.

The women, comprising 45 Thais, three Indonesians and a Myanmar were picked up in a four-hour operation which ended at 5am.

Also nabbed in the operation were four effeminate Thai men who had also worked as GROS at the outlet.

Northeast district police chief ACP Mior Faridalathrash Wahab said the foreigners, aged between 21 and 32, did not have valid work permits but had misused their social visit passes.

"We also detained a 49-year-old man, believed to be the caretaker of the entertainment centre, to facilitate investigations," he said.