Penang Immigration Department has crippled a prostitution syndicate offering sex services with foreign women through the WeChat application, following a raid on a hotel at Jalan Rangoon in George Town.

Its director Meor Hezbullah Meor Abdul Malik said the women were controlled by the syndicate, and only clients who have been screened were allowed to enter the hotel for the sex services.

"We uncovered the operation following close surveillance and raided the hotel at 10.30pm on Monday. 

"Seven foreign women comprising five Vietnamese, one Thai and one Loatian were arrested," he said here today.

Meor Hezbullah said the foreigners, aged between 20 and 30 years, entered Malaysia as tourists but were forced into prostitution by the syndicate.

Five local men, who were caught seeking sexual favours at the hotel, were also detained to assist in investigations.

Meor Hezbullah added that the women were taken to the Seberang Jaya Immigration Department and will be sent to the Juru Immigration Depot for further action.

"We are now hunting down a local man in his 30s, believed to be the mastermind of the syndicate, and the case is being investigated under Regulation 39(b) of the Immigration Regulations 1963 for visit pass violation,” he said.

- Bernama