Fifteen Thai ‘flower girls’ picked up in raid on Melaka nightclub

MELAKA: Fifteen Thai women were among 22 people arrested during a raid at a nightclub located in Taman Melaka Raya here.

State Immigration Department director Anirwan Fauzee Mohd Aini said his officers detained the Thai women suspected of working as hostesses, while five Bangladeshi men employed as crew members at the nightclub were also picked up.

“We also detained two locals, both of whom are managers of the nightclub to assist in the investigation,” he said on Thursday (Sept 14).

Anirwan Fauzee said several foreign women tried to escape but were caught by his officers during the raid on Wednesday (Sept 13) night.

He added that nightclub patrons were engrossed with the entertainment when the officers entered the place. A total of 45 people were checked and questioned.

Anirwan Fauzee said the Thai women would stand on stage and patrons would choose which women they wanted as their server by putting a garland of flowers on them.

The patrons were charged between RM200 and RM1000 for each garland.

He said the illegal immigrants were aged between 25 to 40 years old. They were found to have entered the country as tourists using social visit passes.

The Bangladeshi men had no work permits or any travel documents.

He said action was taken under the Immigration Act 1959/63.