POLICE have crippled a prostitution ring with the arrest of 11 women, including eight foreigners, in a series of raids on several budget hotels in Bukit Mertajam, Butterworth and Simpang Ampat in Penang yesterday.

State Criminal Investigation Department chief Rahimi Ra’ais said police nabbed the suspects, aged between 25 and 37, after putting them under surveillance since last week.

Two men, both in their 30s, believed to be a customer and a hotel caretaker, were also detained in the integrated Op Noda conducted between 3pm and 6pm.

“The modus operandi of the syndicate was to advertise the sexual services on the WeChat mobile application and bring customers to hotels where the prostitutes would be waiting in the room. 

“Each customer is charged between RM120 and RM200 for the services,” he said when contacted in Bukit Mertajam today.

He said investigations showed the eight foreigners, comprising Thais, Indonesians and Vietnamese, did not have valid travel documents and had misused their work permits.

Rahimi said police also seized items such as tissues, condoms, lubricants, cash and mobile phones in the raids.

“The operator of the budget hotels would be slapped with compounds under Rule 17(1) of the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases (Measures within the Infected Local Areas) Regulations 2021,” he added.

He said all those detained have been remanded for further investigations under Section 372B of the Penal Code. – Bernama, August 20, 2021.