CYBERJAYA, Aug 18 — The Immigration Department has smashed an African prostitution syndicate operating from a condominium unit here with the arrest of 10 foreign women in an operation.
Immigration director-general Datuk Seri Khairul Dzaimee Daud said the suspects, seven Tanzanians and three Ugandans aged between 23 and 37, were nabbed for involvement in prostitution and other immoral activities during a raid yesterday.
“Of those arrested, one Tanzanian and one Ugandan were identified as ‘Mummy’ or intermediaries for the prostitution activities,” he said in a statement today.
Khairul Dzaimee said preliminary investigations showed that nine of the women entered Malaysia legally as tourists while one was enrolled as an international student at a language centre in the Federal capital.
The syndicate targeted international students and African men especially Nigerians as clients, charging each customer between RM200 and RM500, he added.
He said the raiding party seized nine passports, 13 handphones, an access card, one student card, four condoms and nine note books containing records of sexual transactions.
The suspects have been taken to the Immigration headquarters in Putrajaya for investigation under the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act (ATIPSOM), Immigration Act 1959/63, Passport Act 1966 and Immigration Regulations 1963.
“The Immigration Department does not rule out the possibility of (more) foreign prostitution syndicates, especially among tourists and international students from Africa.
“After this operation, further investigations will be conducted to track down the mastermind of these prostitution activities and network of syndicates,” Khairul Dzaimee added.
— Bernama
