RM1.45m seized from woman in Kota Kinabalu prostitution sting

PUTRAJAYA: The Immigration Department has apprehended a Malaysian woman and seized RM1.45 million during a prostitution sting dubbed as "Ops Gegar" in Kota Kinabalu.
Its Director-General Datul Seri Mustafar Ali said the seizure of the cash brings the total amount confiscated to more than RM14 million
"The 46-year-old woman was arrested yesterday afternoon, she was the wife to one of the three men believed to be the masterminds behind the prostitution operation. One of the men is a Filipino, and the other two were locals.
"She was apprehended at the hotel in Kota Kinabalu which had been leased out to operate as a spa but also runs a prostitution ring," he told the media at the Home Ministry today.
The cash was found in a safe which the woman claimed not to remember the number combination.
"We had to call in an expert to open the safe. In it we found RM1.45 million, bringing the total amount to more than RM14 million. The most that the department has seized so far," he added.
The operation also led to the discovery of 17 foreign women, believed to be forced into prostitution by the syndicate. A total of RM11 million was first discovered in one of the hotel rooms, where some of the victims were held.
Mustafar added that the operation was carried out after the department was tipped off about a month ago.
"This syndicate has been operating since 1999, they appeared to be a spa in the hotel to prevent suspicion. We received the tipoff about a month ago. After investigating further we managed to uncover their illicit operation of running a prostitution ring," Mustafar said.
He said the case was being investigated under Section 13 of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Smuggling of Migrants Act 2007 and Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001.