Indonesian 'mummy' behind prostitution syndicate

KUALA LUMPUR - A prostitution syndicate masterminded by an Indonesian woman profiting RM2.8 million was taken down in raids throughout Kuala Lumpur and Selangor on Thursday.

Malaysian Immigration Department Director-General Datuk Seri Khairul Dzaimee said raids at the entertainment centres and transit homes began at 11.30pm which resulted in the arrest of 36 individuals aged 18 to 34-years old.

He said 33 women were arrested consisting of 27 from Indonesia, Thailand (four) and Vietnam (two) along with a Bangladeshi man and two local men who managed the premises.

"Phones, condoms, lube, sex toys, room access cards as well as premise keys were confiscated during the raid

"Intelligence states that the syndicate was spearheaded by an Indonesian woman known as ‘mummy’ overseeing and managing foreign women in their prostitution activities in several entertainment centres,” he said in a statement on Saturday.

Khairul said these women entered Malaysia using Social Visit Passes (PLC) that was given for traveling which was misused to engage in immoral activities.

He said there were those arrested using the Spouse and Patient Companion passes while there were those using the Employment Pass as spa therapists with some using the (Receipt Declaration) documents for the Workforce Recalibration Programme (RTK).

"These prostitution activities have garnered profits of up to RM2.8 million.

"Investigations found women had to pay a fee of RM5,000 to RM6,000 to the agents for admission,” he said.

The payment rates for intercourse offered was around RM400 to RM500 per hour.

"The activities were in operation from 10pm to 3am with customers booking the services through WhatsApp or Telegram,” he said.

He said further investigations also revealed that five of the women were on the Immigration blacklist reportedly smuggled into the country as undocumented migrants

Four women were from Indonesia and one from Vietnam

"There were those who had been arrested previously and were part of court cases and some also had falsified documents, " he elaborated