SIBU: Police arrested 10 Chinese nationals and two local individuals for suspected involvement in vice-related activities in a massage centre here on Thursday (July 30).
Sibu district deputy police chief Supt Collin Babat said the operation dubbed as ‘Op Noda’ was carried out by a team from the Sibu Criminal Investigation Division (CID) and Integrity and Standard Compliance Division (ISCD) at the massage centre at Lorong Mahsuri 1B around 3.15pm.
During the raid, the team found the premises had committed offences under Regulation 10 of the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases (Measures within the Infected Local Areas) (No 7) Regulations 2020 by violating the standard operating procedures (SOPs) set by the government.
“The team also inspected 11 women and a man aged between 25 and 33 years old.
“They consisted of the premises owner, two local counter keepers and nine Chinese masseuses,” he said in a statement.
Collin added the owner would be investigated under Section 372B of the Penal Code, Regulation 39 (b) Immigration Regulations 1963, Section 55B of the Immigration Act 1959/63 and Regulation 25 (1) (o) National Registration Regulations 1990.
He said the local counter keepers would be investigated under Section 372B of the Penal Code and Section 55B of the Immigration Act 1959/63 while the masseuses would be investigated under Section 372B of the Penal Code and Section 6 (1) (c) of the Immigration Act 1959/63.
The police also found a local customer aged 26 in the premises. He was taken to Sibu cental police station for documentation and later released.
During the raid, the team seized a closed circuit television (CCTV) decoder and its cable, a smartphone, two MyKads and a branded handbag.
Collin added another team also conducted similar inspections from 3pm to 4.10pm on three massage centres.
“Ten foreigners ─ seven Vietnamese and three Filipinos ─ were inspected and brought to Sibu central police station for documentation purposes, and later released,” he said.
