Two men on wanted list, 102 GROs nabbed in police operations

SHAH ALAM – A total of 102 guest relations officers (GROs) and two men on police’s wanted list were picked up in simultaneous operations codenamed ‘Ops Noda’ nationwide.

Federal police Criminal Investigation Department director Datuk Seri Abd Jalil Hassan said in the operations, police had arrested the women believed to be working as GROs aged between 18 and along with 61 local individuals who were the premises owners, cashiers and employees of the entertainment centres.

“Through the simultaneous operation, police also checked 1,133 people to track other offences and their involvement in secret societies, gangsterism or thug gang.

“A check through the online system revealed that two of the customers are on police’s wanted list for a criminal offence and drug abuse,” he said in a statement.

Jalil said the entertainment centres with karaoke, bar and pub offered rooms of different sizes – small, medium and large, priced from RM8,000 up to RM30,000 depending on the packages.

The premises, he said, also offered on-demand services from the foreign GROs.

“To avoid detection by authorities, regular customers could use a secret passage to the premises, which is located at the back of the building,” he said.

The raid also saw the confiscation of 44 business licenses, 27 speakers, 22 microphones, 16 amplifiers, 85 bottles of alcoholic beverages and cash amounting to RM12,885.

Jalil said the confiscated items and those arrested were taken to district police stations for further investigation.

He advised entertainment centre operators to heed the advice and law as well as the standard operating procedure of the Covid-19 endemic transition phase.

“The public is advised not to visit entertainment centres out of the permitted operating hours to avoid legal action and to avoid the spread of Covid-19,” he added.