MACC nabs 17 in vice crackdown
KUALA LUMPUR: Agents from the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission launched a coordinated strike against a prostitution syndicate, dealing its first blows to smash the intricate network that had allowed the flesh trade to flourish in Selangor.
In its first project in years to penetrate the vast network of prostitution dens and identify corrupt officials from enforcement agencies, the MACC scored a significant success with the arrest of 17 men, hauled up from at least five different locations in the state. The suspects were allegedly involved in prostituting women, using reflexology centres as their front.
Among those picked up was a police officer in charge of a station where prostitution dens were operating nearby and 10 men from a local council, including a high-ranking officer, attached with the council’s licensing department.
MACC officers had earlier on Friday picked up five enforcement officers from a separate local council for allegedly being on the payroll of operators of prostitution dens using these reflexology centres as their fake front.
The New Straits Times Special Probes Team learnt that several of them were caught red-handed as they were about to take home the cash that they had illicitly gained as an inducement for not taking action against those who had flouted their licensing conditions by running prostitution dens.
It is understood that those picked up, aged between 30 and 55, are being investigated under the MACC Act 2009 for allegedly accepting bribes from the prostitution ring.
They had allegedly helped vice den operators by looking the other way and not subjecting the operators to the laws and regulations that they were supposed to enforce.
It is also understood that the suspects were paid between RM200 and RM30,000 for their services.
Selangor had, since 2009, frozen the issuance of permits for massage services, allowing only reflexology and foot massage centres to operate, under strict licensing conditions.
It is understood that those in the flesh trade would apply for permits for “reflexology centres”, and pay corrupt officials to keep their illicit operations afloat.
The police officer had allegedly been on the payroll of prostitution den operators.
His immediate boss, the police chief of the district he was attached to, who also confirmed his officer’s arrest, said several MACC officers had yesterday, during his weekly morning meeting, asked for the senior inspector to be handed over to them.
“I will not compromise if any of my men work hand-in-glove with syndicates.
"We will extend MACC our fullest cooperation and any one of us proven to have been on the wrong side of the law will face the consequences.
“I was not surprised (by the arrest) as the MACC would have done their homework, including doing intelligence and groundwork,” he said, adding that the district’s Op Noda (the crackdown on prostitution) was ongoing.
A businessman, whose alleged role was to help link owners of new prostitution dens with wayward law enforcement officers, was also among those arrested by MACC in yesterday’s simultaneous raids.
MACC investigations director Datuk Azam Baki, when contacted, confirmed the 17 arrests borne of the commission’s proactive action against corrupt enforcers, including those with local authorities.
He said the scourge had to be eradicated as, aside from the corruption involved, the social implications that society have had to bear with, could not be allowed to go on.
"This is just the beginning. We have our pulse on the other areas. We are also acting on tip-offs on enforcers colluding with those operating vice outlets.
“We will not hesitate to take action against enforcers who have been entrusted with carrying out their duties without fear or favour and not give in to gratification,” Azam said.
The NST yesterday front-paged an expose on how those running vice dens were being sheltered by enforcement agencies through a blatant protection system.
Through months of observations, the NST Special Probes Team discovered that these illegal operations, running under the guise of reflexology centres, offered sexual services, including body-to-body and “ping-pong” massages as well as “full-packages”.
Read More : http://www.nst.com.my/news/2015/10/macc-nabs-17-vice-crackdown
In its first project in years to penetrate the vast network of prostitution dens and identify corrupt officials from enforcement agencies, the MACC scored a significant success with the arrest of 17 men, hauled up from at least five different locations in the state. The suspects were allegedly involved in prostituting women, using reflexology centres as their front.
Among those picked up was a police officer in charge of a station where prostitution dens were operating nearby and 10 men from a local council, including a high-ranking officer, attached with the council’s licensing department.
MACC officers had earlier on Friday picked up five enforcement officers from a separate local council for allegedly being on the payroll of operators of prostitution dens using these reflexology centres as their fake front.
The New Straits Times Special Probes Team learnt that several of them were caught red-handed as they were about to take home the cash that they had illicitly gained as an inducement for not taking action against those who had flouted their licensing conditions by running prostitution dens.
It is understood that those picked up, aged between 30 and 55, are being investigated under the MACC Act 2009 for allegedly accepting bribes from the prostitution ring.
They had allegedly helped vice den operators by looking the other way and not subjecting the operators to the laws and regulations that they were supposed to enforce.
It is also understood that the suspects were paid between RM200 and RM30,000 for their services.
Selangor had, since 2009, frozen the issuance of permits for massage services, allowing only reflexology and foot massage centres to operate, under strict licensing conditions.
It is understood that those in the flesh trade would apply for permits for “reflexology centres”, and pay corrupt officials to keep their illicit operations afloat.
The police officer had allegedly been on the payroll of prostitution den operators.
His immediate boss, the police chief of the district he was attached to, who also confirmed his officer’s arrest, said several MACC officers had yesterday, during his weekly morning meeting, asked for the senior inspector to be handed over to them.
“I will not compromise if any of my men work hand-in-glove with syndicates.
"We will extend MACC our fullest cooperation and any one of us proven to have been on the wrong side of the law will face the consequences.
“I was not surprised (by the arrest) as the MACC would have done their homework, including doing intelligence and groundwork,” he said, adding that the district’s Op Noda (the crackdown on prostitution) was ongoing.
A businessman, whose alleged role was to help link owners of new prostitution dens with wayward law enforcement officers, was also among those arrested by MACC in yesterday’s simultaneous raids.
MACC investigations director Datuk Azam Baki, when contacted, confirmed the 17 arrests borne of the commission’s proactive action against corrupt enforcers, including those with local authorities.
He said the scourge had to be eradicated as, aside from the corruption involved, the social implications that society have had to bear with, could not be allowed to go on.
"This is just the beginning. We have our pulse on the other areas. We are also acting on tip-offs on enforcers colluding with those operating vice outlets.
“We will not hesitate to take action against enforcers who have been entrusted with carrying out their duties without fear or favour and not give in to gratification,” Azam said.
The NST yesterday front-paged an expose on how those running vice dens were being sheltered by enforcement agencies through a blatant protection system.
Through months of observations, the NST Special Probes Team discovered that these illegal operations, running under the guise of reflexology centres, offered sexual services, including body-to-body and “ping-pong” massages as well as “full-packages”.
Read More : http://www.nst.com.my/news/2015/10/macc-nabs-17-vice-crackdown
Comments
Post a Comment