SHAH ALAM, Nov 14 — The Selangor Immigration Department (JIM) dismantled an affordable sex services network offering online bookings during several raids around Shah Alam and Damansara yesterday.

State Immigration Director Khairrul Aminus Kamaruddin said the raids, which began at 10 pm, involved two massage centres, a workers hostel, and two eateries and they were conducted under the code names of Op Gegar, Op Sapu, and Op Selera.

He said the five-hour operation led to the arrest of 39 foreigners, including 16 women, after checks were carried out on 43 individuals aged 17 to 45 years.

"We believe these premises are involved in offering sex services involving foreigners for a fee of about RM200. During the raids, we broke down the door of a massage centre workers’ hostel after not getting cooperation from the occupants.

"Some tried to escape including hiding behind mattress and behind the stairs,” he said in a statement today.

Khairrul said those nabbed were found to have committed offences such as not having valid passes or permits, overstaying and misusing social visit passes.

He said two local men who are the massage centre’s employers were also arrested, and witness summonses were issued against five individuals to assist in the investigation.

The case is being investigated under Sections 6 (1) (c) and 15 (1) (c) of the Immigration Act 1959/63 in addition to Regulation 39 (b) of the Immigration Regulations 1963. — Bernama