Scores of women among 236 held in Johor entertainment raid
Immigration Deputy director-general (Operations) Jafri Embok Taha said the raid, dubbed Op Kutip, was carried out between 11.50pm and 2.15am following three weeks of surveillance and public tip-offs.
A total of 236 illegal immigrants were detained, he said, adding that the sweep was carried out at two entertainment centres in Stulang Laut.
Jafri said a total of 473 individuals, including locals, were screened during the operation.
"The migrants attempted to flee and hide behind pillars and in concealed rooms.
"However, our officers were well prepared and managed to round them up efficiently," he told the media after the crackdown early today.
The detainees, aged between 17 and 40, included 111 Thai women and three Thai men, 43 Vietnamese women and 13 Vietnamese men, 23 Bangladeshi men, and 14 Indian men.
Others arrested were 10 Pakistani men, seven Nepalese men, four Chinese men and one Chinese woman, four Laotian women, and three Indonesian men.
They were held for offences under Section 6(1)(c) of the Immigration Act for lacking valid passes or permits, and Section 15(1)(c) for overstaying.
All detainees were taken to the Immigration Detention Depot at the Setia Tropika Immigration Complex for further action.
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