Kuala lumpur: An Indonesian domestic worker was among 12 foreign women detained by the Immigration Department (JIM) during a raid on an entertainment center here early today. Its Enforcement Division director Basri Othman stated that checks revealed the woman held a valid permit to work as a maid but had violated the terms by working as a guest relations officer (GRO) at night.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, further inspection showed that some of the women were employed in factories, had overstayed their permits, and several did not possess any identification documents. In the operation at 1.30 am, the women – three Indonesians, seven Thais, and two Vietnamese – aged between 20 and 35, were found entertaining customers, Basri Othman informed reporters.

He mentioned that several of the women attempted to escape through the back door during the raid but were swiftly detained. Preliminary investigations revealed that all 12 women had been working at the premises for about six months and were being paid between RM150 and RM250 per hour.

Basri explained that the case is being investigated under the Immigration Act 1959/1963, and all those detained have been taken to the Seberang Jaya Immigration Office for further investigation before being transferred to the Jawi Immigration Detention Depot.