35 foreign GROs detained in Butterworth immigration raid
The women, aged between 23 and 45, were found hiding in a concealed room at the premises.
JIM Enforcement Division director Basri Osman said the group included 19 Vietnamese, 14 Thais, one Chinese, and one Laotian national.
Two male Chinese nationals were also detained during the operation.
A total of 73 local men, suspected to be customers, were inspected by authorities.
Basri revealed that the outlet had 10 rooms, each with hidden spaces behind sofas and speakers.
A secret room was also discovered inside the toilet area.
All entry points, including the lift, had been disabled to obstruct the raid.
Officers were forced to break down the door to gain access to the seventh-floor premises.
The outlet had reportedly been operating for over a year under tight surveillance.
CCTV cameras and suspected informants may have alerted the operator about the raid.
Investigations showed the GROs were paid between RM250 and RM300 per hour.
A large sum of cash, believed to be payments, was seized at the location.
The case is being investigated under the Immigration Act 1959/1963.
All detainees were taken to the Seberang Jaya Immigration Office for further questioning.
They will later be transferred to the Jawi Immigration Detention Depot.
The operation involved 45 personnel from JIM headquarters and state offices.
It began at 12.30 am and concluded at 2.30 am. - Bernama
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Star
3 hours ago
- The Star
Asean News Headlines at 10pm on Sunday (Aug 10, 2025)
Malaysia: * Sultan Ibrahim's state visit to Russia strengthens bilateral ties / King returns home after maiden state visit to Russia * Well-wishes, prayers pour in for Anwar on his 78th birthday * Malaysia, Asean missions celebrate Asean Day 2025 in The Hague * UPUOnline records 511,006 admissions for public universities * Jalur Gemilang must be displayed correctly, says Loke * Zara Qairina autopsy completed / Lawyer denies Zara's screams captured in viral recording * Don't hinder police probe into Zara Qairina's death, says Hajiji * Shafie pledges no corruption, only progress for Sabah * Police busts ganja syndicate in Kelantan, seize 35kg of cannabis, pistol * Johor cops detain four bikers for reckless riding in Iskandar Puteri * Tackling teen vaping Sarawak, ministry develops working paper * Penang plans new tuna port to boost landings * Nancy: Ministry acting, not silent on student's case * Woman loses more than RM2.33mil in elaborate love scam * Malaysia's pursuit of 123 Agreement shows commitment to safe, reliable nuclear partnership Singapore: * Singapore's biggest corporate scandal - the criminal trial of Hyflux founder Olivia Lum and five others starts on Aug 11 * Italian Brainrot: the AI memes only kids know these days, but a real blur for most adults * 'Last' meals: How durian, chilli crab and KFC bring comfort to the dying in Singapore * 50 evacuated after HDB flat catches fire in Jalan Bahagia * Bridge-building for mutual prosperity - Two countries that had been joined went their separate ways 60 years ago Indonesia: * South Korea to send special envoys to Indonesia this week: Presidential Office * 'Kebaya': Living history, modern elegance in Indonesia * Bali cracks down on unruly tourists * Review: 'Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound' lovingly revives classic 2D experience * Top Chinese diplomat Liu Jianchao taken in for questioning, say reports Thailand: * Consular aid for M'sians set on fire in Bangkok * Chinese influencer in Thailand shares trafficker-taken photos online to find birth family * Thai King endorses Vitai Ratanakorn's appointment as Bank of Thailand Chief; new man has promised to improve country's economy * Cannabis reclassification boosts tourism, say Thai tourism associations * Would you eat 'Reptile Egg' dessert? Here's the story behind Khanom Khai Hia! An Indonesian performer dressed in an origami-themed costume takes part in a 3.6-kilometer parade during the Jember Fashion Carnival in Jember, eastern Java island, on Sunday, August 10, 2024. -- Photo by Juni KRISWANTO / AFP Philippines: * Three killed and one injured in clash in southern Philippines * Marcos says court order has no bearing on the Merits of VP Duterte's impeachment case * Nearly P3mil shabu seized in Zamboanga weeklong ops * Philippine House resolution seeks probe into Bureau of Correction's alleged rights violations Vietnam: * World Police Music Festival 2025 opens in Hanoi * Vietnamese man remanded for attempted kidnap, shoplifting * Vietnamese police bust cross-border surrogacy ring, rescue 11 infants * Bus crashes into two vehicles on Genting descent, no fatalities reported Myanmar: * Anti-vice raids arrest 288, including over 60 Myanmar GROs * Heavy rains and strong winds expected in Myanmar from August 10 to 15 * PEACE TALK 2025 concludes in Myanmar with 12 short-term recommendations and 10 long-term action plans Cambodia: * Thailand claims three soldiers injured by landmine along border, Cambodia strongly refutes * Military attachés inspect conflict-affected areas, sanctuaries in Cambodia Laos: * Preah Sihanouk governor orders medical care for 'lost' Thai national * Australian international school donates 111 million kip to province in north-eastern Laos Brunei: * China's "HYSY 295" vessel begins maiden Brunei marine mission * Brunei boosts rice production to achieve self-sufficiency An Indonesian performer dressed in allograph-themed costumes takes part in a 3.6-kilometer parade during the Jember Fashion Carnival in Jember, eastern Java island, on Sunday, August 10, 2024. -- Photo by Juni KRISWANTO / AFP AseanPlus: * A fine achievement - Malaysian darters qualify for WDF World Cup after an absence of 14 years * Police seek witnesses in child molestation case involving Bangladeshi worker * Bangladesh chief advisor Dr Muhammad Yunus to undertake official visit to Malaysia * Malaysia, Australia celebrate 70 years of deepening strategic partnership * Ipoh to strengthen ties with Nanning, China on trade, tech exchanges * Kelantan police hunting two friends linked to singer Eda Ezrin's case * Ex-Malaysian beauty queen achieves second climbing record * 'Heartbreaking': Bear in India refuses to abandon dying cub struck by speeding car * China's chipmakers to see small impact from Trump's 100% tariff on imports: CLSA * 'Reduce reliance': Can US and Europe break free from China's rare earth grip? * South Korea's military has shrunk by 20% in six years as male population drops * Celebrity Style: Blackpink's Jisoo is effortlessly chic and always on point * UN Security Council holds urgent meeting on Israel's Gaza City plan * US debuts hypersonic missile in Australia. Is it a deterrent against China? * China rocket shortage means it may have to pick a favoured Starlink challenger * Japan's Shinmoedake volcano erupts, sending ash plume well above 3,000m * Two Japanese boxers die after brain injuries at the same Tokyo event * Chinese state media says Nvidia H20 chips not safe for China * China's fiery baijiu spirit evolves to attract younger drinkers * Seven dead after wall collapse in India's capital * Death toll from northwest China floods rises to 13 * Man in critical condition following shooting in eastern Australia * North Korea begins dismantling propaganda loudspeakers along border * Warning against adult pacifiers cites potential health hazards * Yomiuri sues US AI startup over use of articles; Perplexity allegedly used over 100,000 news stories * Bomb threat reported at South Korea's Olympic gymnastics arena; delaying concert by K-pop top group The Boyz * A region on the move - Youth mobility across Asean remains limited by fragmented visa systems * Athletics - Indian Open: Muhammad Azeem wins gold, Danish Iftikhar bronze in 100m sprint * Football - From Malaysia to Portugal, towering defender Paarveen takes giant leap * Football - Ex-Perak coach Teong Kim awarded RM1.04mil in unfair dismissal case
Sinar Daily
5 hours ago
- Sinar Daily
Italy's fast fashion hub becomes Chinese mafia battlefield
PRATO - When Zhang Dayong lay in a pool of blood on a sidewalk in Rome after being shot six times, few suspected a link to Italy's storied textile hub of Prato. But a "hanger war" is raging in the city near Florence -- turning Europe's largest apparel manufacturing centre and a pillar of Made in Italy production into a battleground for warring Chinese mafia groups. This photograph shows a commemorative plaque at the site where seven Chinese workers died in a fire on December 2013, in the industrial district in Prato, central Italy, on August 1, 2025. Chinese groups in the district thrive on the so-called "Prato system", long rife with corruption and widely documented irregularities, particularly in the fast-fashion sector, such as labour and safety violations plus tax and customs fraud. They pop up quickly and shut down just as fast, playing a cat-and-mouse game with authorities to avoid taxes or fines. Fabric is smuggled from China, evading customs duties and taxes, while profits are returned to China via illegal money transfers. (Photo by Stefano RELLANDINI / AFP) The situation has become so urgent that Prato's prosecutor, Luca Tescaroli, has appealed to Rome for help, calling for an anti-mafia division and reinforcements for judges and police. Tescaroli has warned that the escalation in crime has become a huge business operation and moved beyond Italy, notably to France and Spain. The gangs are battling to control the production of hundreds of millions of clothes hangers each year -- the market is estimated to be worth 100 million euros (US$115 million) -- and the bigger prize of transporting apparel. The Chinese mafia also "promotes the illegal immigration of workers of various nationalities" for Prato, Tescaroli told AFP. The veteran anti-mafia prosecutor said the "phenomenon has been underestimated", allowing the mafia to expand its reach. With one of Europe's largest Chinese communities, the city of nearly 200,000 people has seen Chinese business owners and factory workers beaten or threatened in recent months, with cars and warehouses burned. The ex-head of Prato's police investigative unit, Francesco Nannucci, said the Chinese mafia run betting dens, prostitution and drugs -- and provide their Italian counterparts with under-the-radar money transfers. For mafia leaders, "to be able to command in Prato means being able to lead in much of Europe," Nannucci told AFP. 'Well-oiled system' Chinese underworld groups thrive on the so-called "Prato system", long rife with corruption and irregularities, particularly in the fast-fashion sector, such as labour and safety violations plus tax and customs fraud. Prato's 5,000-odd apparel and knitwear businesses, mostly small, Chinese-run subcontractors, churn out low-priced items that end up in shops across Europe. They start quickly and shut down just as fast, playing a cat-and-mouse game with authorities to avoid taxes or fines. Fabric is smuggled from China, evading customs duties and taxes, while profits are returned to China via illegal money transfers. To stay competitive, the sector relies on cheap, around-the-clock labour, mostly from China and Pakistan, which Tescaroli told a Senate committee in January was "essential for its proper functioning". "It's not just one or two bad apples, but a well-oiled system they use, and do very well -- closing, reopening, not paying taxes," said Riccardo Tamborrino, a Sudd Cobas union organiser leading strikes on behalf of immigrants. Investigators say the immigrants work seven days a week, 13 hours a day for about three euros ($3.40) an hour. Tamborrino said Prato's apparel industry was "free from laws, from contracts". "It's no secret," he said. "All this is well known." 'Miss Fashion' Trucks lumber day and night through the streets of Prato's industrial zone, an endless sprawl of asphalt lined with warehouses and apparel showrooms with names like "Miss Fashion" and "Ohlala Pronto Moda". Open metal doors reveal loaded garment racks, rolls of fabric and stacks of boxes awaiting shipment -- the final step controlled by Zhang Naizhong, whom prosecutors dub the "boss of bosses" within Italy's Chinese mafia. A 2017 court document described Zhang as the "leading figure in the unscrupulous circles of the Chinese community" in Europe, with a monopoly on the transport sector and operations in France, Spain, Portugal and Germany. Zhang Dayong, the man killed in Rome alongside his girlfriend in April, was Zhang Naizhong's deputy. The shootings followed three massive fires at his warehouses outside Paris and Madrid in previous months. Nannucci believes Zhang Naizhong could be in China, after his 2022 acquittal for usury in a huge Chinese mafia trial plagued by problems -- including a lack of translators and missing files. On a recent weekday, a handful of Pakistani men picketed outside the company that had employed them, after it shut down overnight having just agreed to give workers a contract under Italian law. Muhammed Akram, 44, saw his boss quietly take away sewing machines, irons and other equipment from the factory. "Sneaky boss," he said, in broken Italian. Chinese garment workers, who are often brought to Italy by the mafia, never picket, union activists say -- they are too frightened to protest. Trading favours Changes in apparel manufacturing, globalisation and migration have all contributed to the so-called "Prato system". So has corruption. In May 2024, the second-in-command within Prato's Carabinieri police was accused of giving Italian and Chinese entrepreneurs -- among them a chamber of commerce businessman -- access to police data for information, including on workers. Police complaints by workers "ended up in a drawer, never reaching the court", Sudd Cobas organiser Francesca Ciuffi told AFP. Prato's mayor resigned in June amid a corruption investigation, accused of trading favours with the businessman for votes. In recent months, the union has secured regular contracts under national law for workers at over 70 companies. That will not help those caught in Prato's mafia war, however, where "bombs have exploded and warehouses have been burned down", said Ciuffi. "People who wake up in the morning, quietly going to work, risk getting seriously injured, if not worse, because of a war that doesn't concern them." - AFP
The Sun
7 hours ago
- The Sun
Senior Chinese diplomat Liu Jianchao taken in for questioning: WSJ
BEIJING: A senior Chinese diplomat considered a contender for future foreign minister has been detained by authorities for questioning, the Wall Street Journal reported on Sunday. Liu Jianchao, head of a department under the ruling Communist Party that oversees relations with foreign political parties, was 'taken away' after returning to Beijing from a work trip abroad in late July, according to people familiar with the matter, the report said. The reason for his detention could not be determined, it added. China's foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a request by AFP to confirm the report. Liu, 61, has previously served in key diplomatic roles including ambassadorships to the Philippines and Indonesia and foreign ministry spokesperson. He has also led various national and regional bodies tasked with implementing President Xi Jinping's signature crackdown on corruption. His detention represents the highest-level inquiry into a Chinese diplomat since Qin Gang, who was removed as foreign minister in 2023 following reports of an extramarital affair. Liu has been widely viewed as a rising figure in the Chinese diplomatic world. In early July, he accused the United States' defence chief of 'inciting confrontation and conflict' by urging American allies to bolster their militaries to counter China. His most recent public engagement was on July 29 in Algeria, following meetings in several African countries, Singapore and elsewhere late last month, according to the website of the International Department, which he currently heads - AFP
