Possible human trafficking activities laid bare in KL strip club raid

KUALA LUMPUR – When night falls, neon signs come to life in the heart of Kuala Lumpur as music reverberates through the walls of the city’s numerous entertainment outlets. 

On the surface, these establishments may seem like any other late-night hotspot.

But a closer look reveals a darker reality: a potential network of “vice” and even crime such as human trafficking hidden behind closed doors. 

An early Sunday morning raid by Bukit Aman’s Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in Kompleks Wilayah at Jalan Dang Wangi here has shed light on the magnitude of this problem. 

Four Bangladeshi-owned strip clubs were targeted, leading to a revelation that went beyond mere illicit entertainment as authorities are looking into potential exploitation of foreign female dancers. 

Many of whom were found to have been performing “exotic” dances for primarily Bangladeshi and Pakistani patrons.

In a press conference today, Bukit Aman CID deputy director Datuk Rusdi Mohd Isa said the establishments have been operating from 7pm to 7am.

Such outlets had apparently introduced a concept of throwing money at the dancers, where patrons shower foreign female dancers with cash, and, as the stakes get higher, these women are pushed to go beyond just dancing and stripping.

However, the intent of this police operation is not limited to clamping down on unauthorised entertainment. 

The primary objective, as Rusdi highlighted, was to identify potential human trafficking victims using the National Guideline on Human Trafficking Indicators.

What is alarming is the potential scale of the problem, as Bukit Aman CID’s Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants division (D3) investigations show that such activity at the outlets might have been going on for anywhere between four months to a year. 

While all the detained women possessed valid travel documents, further checks are being done with the Immigration Department to ensure a thorough investigation.

Kuala Lumpur’s entertainment hubs have always been a magnet for tourists and locals alike. 

However, the recent findings emphasise the need for continuous vigilance. 

Bukit Aman’s revelation highlights a troubling trend, whereby foreign-owned entertainment outlets with migrant workers and clientele call for more checks by local authorities on irregularities and potential exploitation. – The Vibes, October 16, 2023