KUALA LUMPUR: Massage parlour operators along Jalan Alor in Bukit Bintang were believed to have got wind of police's special operation on foreigners yesterday.
This led to the parlours being devoid of workers - usually foreign women - when police arrived.
A member of the public said he saw many massage parlour workers in front of the outlets but they made themselves scarce about an hour later.
"I was hanging out with friends here since 9pm. I saw many female workers, waiting and enticing the passers by. By 10pm, most of them were gone.
"Moments later, the police arrived," he told the New Straits Times.
Police, however, didn't go back empty handed. A total of 164 immigrants were screened, and 102 of them, including 22 women, were arrested for various offences such as abusing their visitors pass, having no valid travel documents, as well as overstaying.
They were from various nationalities including Bangladesh, Myanmar, Indonesia, Pakistan, India, Vietnam, the Phillippines, and China.
Three locals including a woman were also arrested for harbouring illegal immigrants.
The operation, led by KL Public Order Department head Superintendent Muhamad Shamsudin, began at 8pm and ended at 4am. Its main areas of focus were Petaling Street, Jalan Alor, Pantai Indah apartments at Pantai Dalam, and a restaurant at Jalan Gelang, Sungai Besi.
When asked about the possible information leak, Muhamad declined to comment.
"It's hard to tell for sure but we will carry out the operation again in the same areas and we will see the results," he said.
Meanwhile, City deputy police chief Datuk Abdul Hamid Mohd Ali said, since Op Nyah 2 began on July 18, a total of 3,412 foreigners were screened with 1,424 arrested for various offences.
The operation's objective is to reduce crime involving foreigners as well as reducing social problems.