KOTA KINABALU: Three women from Thailand were rescued by the police on suspicion that they were being sexually exploited at a hotel here on Saturday.
Sabah Criminal Investigation Department (CID) chief SAC Datuk Salehhudin Abdul Rahman said, the three women were aged between 21 and 23 years old.
All of them had valid passports and had arrived in Sabah on October 26 this year, he said, adding that the operation to rescue the women was conducted about 2.30 pm on November 4.
At about 3.50pm on the same day, police, after interviewing the women and carrying out surveillance work, arrested two men aged 28 and 32 years old at the hotel’s car park. The men were believed to be involved in a prostitution syndicate.
In another raid at a hotel in Bandaran Berjaya at about 8.40 pm the same day, police arrested a Filipina suspected of carrying prostitution activities via WeChat, he said.
Salehhudin said the cases were being investigated under Section 12 of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act 2007 and Section 372B of the Penal Code.
Under the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act 2007, those found guilty are liable to a maximum jail term of 15 years and can also be fined, while the punishment under Section 372B of the Penal Code is a maximum jail term of one year, or a fine or both.