GEORGETOWN - Eight foreign women, including the wife of a civil servant from a neighbouring country, were arrested by police on Friday for suspected involvement in prostitution activities via WeChat.
According to Northeast District Police Chief Assistant Commissioner Soffian Santong, all women detained were aged between 25 and 47 in a series of arrests under 'Op Noda', carried out by Penang Criminal Investigation Division, Gambling and Mafia (D7).
According to him, the investigation discovered that a group of women were using social media to find clients and charging between RM150 and RM250.
"The raid took place in seven locations throughout the Northeast, involving several cheap hotel premises, guest houses, and apartments.
"As a result of the operation, we seized various prostitution-related equipment and RM2,200 cash," he said in a statement issued here on Monday.
Earlier, news of the raid went viral on social media, with one of the ladies claiming to be married to a high-ranking civil servant abroad.
Sofian added that the investigation revealed that one of the women detained claimed to be a civil servant in a neighbouring country.
"The woman claimed to have come to the country to carry out prostitution activities to earn extra income.
"All of them are remanded under Section 117 of the Criminal Procedure Code and have been placed in the New Bayan Central Prison for further action," he said.
The case is being investigated in accordance with Penal Code Section 372B, Immigration Act 1959/63 Section 15(1)(c), and Immigration Regulations 1959 Regulation 39b.