Malay Police Detain 20 Thai Women In Karaoke Joint

[george]

Police detain 20 Thai women in JB karaoke joint

JOHUR BARU: -- Twenty Thai women working at a karaoke centre in Johor Baru were detained during a joint operation by the police and immigration departments late Friday.

The women, who worked as guest relation officers (GROs), either did not have valid travel documents or had misused their social visit passes.

Six locals, who worked at the centre, were also detained on suspicions of harbouring illegals.

Johor Baru (South) internal security and public order chief Asst Supt Harun Idris said the operation began at 11.45pm and involved 18 policemen and four immigration officers.

ASP Harun said the karaoke centre owner had tried to hide the women in a space above the ceiling.

“But our personnel were vigilant and managed to detect them,” he said, adding that they had acted on a public tip off.

In a nearby pub, the operation netted another foreign worker who did not possess valid travel documents.

ASP Harun said the women were handed over to the immigration department for further action. They were sent to the detention centre in Pekan Nenas pending further investigation.

--thestar.com.my 2005-11-30