30 nabbed in M’sia-S’pore prostitution syndicate crackdown

Thirty people, including a Malaysian, have been arrested in an operation targeting a cross-border prostitution syndicate believed to have offered prostitution services to customers in Singapore.

Bernama quoted Bukit Aman criminal investigation department (CID) director M Kumar as saying that the operation, codenamed Op Noda-Rentas Sempadan, was jointly conducted with the Singapore police force (SPF) at several residential premises in Kuala Lumpur and Johor yesterday.

He said nine suspects – a Malaysian and eight foreigners aged between 29 and 56 – were arrested in raids conducted by Bukit Aman CID and the Johor police.

The eight foreigners comprised seven Chinese nationals and a Singaporean. Preliminary investigations indicated that all nine were syndicate members wanted by the SPF.

The Singaporean and four of the Chinese nationals were also found to have overstayed in Malaysia.

In the same operation, police arrested another 21 foreigners aged between 19 and 41 – five men and 16 women – on suspicion of promoting and managing online prostitution services.

They comprised 17 Chinese nationals, three Vietnamese nationals and one Laotian. Police also seized electronic devices believed to have been used to manage the online prostitution services.

Kumar said the syndicate was believed to have been operating in Singapore since 2024, using Malaysia as its base to manage two websites offering prostitution services in the republic.

The syndicate likely used Malaysia as an operational hub to evade enforcement action, he added.