Johor bahru: Police arrested a total of 209 foreign women working as Guest Relations Officers (GROs) during "Op Noda" operations conducted across 12 entertainment centers throughout the state early this morning. Johor Police Chief Datuk Ab Rahaman Arsad said that the joint operation was launched by the Johor Contingent Police Headquarters (IPK) alongside District Police Headquarters (IPD), running from 2:15 am to 9:00 am.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, the operation also led to the detention of 13 entertainment center premises caretakers, aged between 20 and 53 years old, comprising 10 local men and three foreign men. Ab Rahaman provided a breakdown of the detained foreign GROs, noting that they were aged between 19 and 40 years old and included 93 Vietnamese nationals, 87 from Thailand, 11 from Laos, seven from Indonesia, six from Myanmar, and five from the Philippines.

Preliminary urine screening tests revealed that 44 individuals tested positive for drugs. Additionally, background checks showed that seven of the detainees had past criminal and narcotics records. The cases are being investigated under several sections of the Johor State Entertainment and Places of Entertainment Enactment (ENJ) 4/98 and various sections of the Immigration Act and Regulations 1959/63.

Ab Rahaman emphasized the authorities' commitment to maintaining security and public order, warning that entertainment premises violating license conditions will face stern action, including possible license revocation. He also called on the public to report criminal activities directly to the Johor Police Hotline at 019-2792095 or the Operations Room at 07-2212999.