MALACCA: Immigration authorities successfully outsmarted a suspected vice syndicate here following the arrest of 40 women, all illegal immigrants, at an entertainment outlet here.
The bust, the biggest in the state this year, was made possible following joint operations involving state and federal enforcement officers who used "unmarked" cars during the surprise raid on the outlet in Taman Melaka Raya on Wednesday night.
State Immigration Department deputy director Abu Bakar Sidek Hassan the tactic of using unmarked cars and federal officers came after previous raids turned up empty handed.
"We raided the entertainment outlet in Melaka Raya several times but it was futile.
"The most recent arrest we made was on Aug 11, where we arrested only three people," he told reporters at a press conference here.
He believed previous raids had failed as operators of the entertainment outlet had kept a close watch on the movement of local immigration officers including the vehicles used by them.
He said 9 federal enforcement officers and 11 state officers took part in the operations between 6pm and 11pm, where officers closely watch the outlet and raided into it at 9.30pm.
"A four wheel drive vehicle and a Proton car from the Federal Territories department were used during the raid including two private-owned cars from the state to avoid detection.
"This is one of our biggest successes so far," Abu Bakar said.
He added 40 Vietnamese women, between 16 and 37-years-old were arrested and they are believed to be working as guest relations officers at the outlet.
Abu Bakar said the operation's success comes after three-week surveillance by officers following several complains from members of the public, that the pub had never been raided before.
Those detained, he added, would be investigated for violating their social visit pass under Rule 39b of the Immigration Act 1959/63 and 6(1)(c) Immigration Act 1959/63 and for not possessing valid travelling documents.
"Those arrested will be sent to the Machap Umboo detention centre for deportation," he said.