KUALA TERENGGANU: The Terengganu police have established a special task force to curb the prevalence of prostitution activities in the state.
Its chief Datuk Mazli Mazlan said last year, three cases involving prostitution activities in the state were successfully dismantled by his team.
He said two of the cases involved local women engaging in immoral activities part-time, while one case involved a syndicate.
He said for the case involving the syndicate, seven foreign women were arrested in several hotels in the districts of Kuala Terengganu, Dungun and Kemaman.
"The latest arrests were made on December 28 involving a woman from Laos, two from Indonesia and four Thai women, with four of them having passports.
"We (the police) see that this syndicate has become bold in conducting immoral activities in Terengganu and our team will counteract these activities through the special task force that has been established.
"We are aware that Terengganu is one of the tourist states and we see the syndicate attempting to offer prostitution services, including on the islands in this state," he said during a press conference after the Monthly Police Assembly at the Terengganu police headquarters, here, today.
He said all those arrested were aged between 23 and 45 years old, and the cases are being investigated under Section 372B of the Penal Code for offering sexual services.
Commenting on the extended joint operation earlier this month, he said the operation, conducted in collaboration with the National Anti-Drug Agency (AADK), focused on motorcycle workshops and roadblocks.