25 Foreigners Arrested for Offering Sexual Services via WeChat, WhatsApp
KLUANG: Communication apps WeChat and WhatsApp were allegedly used to offer sexual services to customers around the district for between RM70 and RM180.
The activities were uncovered after the Johor Immigration Department conducted an enforcement operation at several massage parlours and residential premises suspected of being misused for such activities at 7 pm on Tuesday.
Johor Immigration Director Datuk Haji Mohd Rusdi Mohd Darus said information and intelligence gathered indicated that the services were allegedly advertised and arranged through the communication apps.
He said payments for each service were believed to have been made in cash, while the use of residential premises as locations for the activities indicated an attempt by certain parties to conceal them from the authorities.
“Initial checks found that 25 individuals were arrested for various immigration offences during the operation.
“They comprised seven Vietnamese women, three Thai women, three Indonesian women, six Myanmar women, one Vietnamese man, three Indonesian men, as well as one Nepalese man and one Myanmar man,” he said in a statement on Thursday.
He said those arrested were aged between 25 and 41, while two Malaysians believed to have acted as caretakers of the premises were also detained.
According to him, all the individuals were taken to the Setia Tropika Immigration Depot for further investigation under the Immigration Act 1959/63 and Immigration Regulations 1963.
“Three Form 29 notices, which are summonses issued to witnesses, were also issued during the inspections to assist in the investigation.
“Firm action will continue to be taken against any party involved in prostitution activities and the misuse of social visit passes,” he said.
Mohd Rusdi said the Johor Immigration Department takes seriously the misuse of passes and facilities granted to foreign nationals and will continue its efforts to combat and eradicate undocumented migrants in the state.
Sinar Harian