Police raided an abandoned pig barn following complaints from suspicious housewives that their husbands were visiting the building too often _ and arrested three alleged prostitutes, a pimp and 30 clients, a newspaper reported Thursday. The barn near Tanjung Sepat, a rural community about 40 kilometers (25 miles) southwest of Kuala Lumpur, had been refurbished with 20 cubicles, a bar serving drinks, neon lights and a sound system, the New Straits Times reported.
Criminal Investigations Department Chief Abu Bakar Mustafa said officers watched the building for some time before they raided the premises just after midnight Wednesday.
Abu Bakar said three prostitutes were caught, but some others had escaped. All three were Chinese nationals who had entered the country on social visit passes, he was quoted as saying. He said the clients, mostly fishermen and local businessmen, were released after their statements were recorded.
Officers were not immediately available to comment Thursday. Prostitution is rampant despite being illegal in Malaysia. Many women who work in the industry come from poorer backgrounds in countries such as Indonesia, China and the Philippines.