Its director-general Zakaria Shaaban said those detained comprised nine foreign men – one from Indonesia, five from Myanmar, two from Bangladesh and one from China – and 43 foreign women, 32 of them from Thailand, eight from China and one each from Myanmar, Vietnam and Laos.

He said those detained, aged between 19 and 59, are believed to have worked as masseurs without any valid document.

“We also detained three Malaysian men believed to be caretakers of the premises,” Bernama reported him as saying.

Zakaria said the operation, which began at 6pm and was held based on tip-offs and intelligence, involved 47 personnel from Putrajaya and Johor and was led by immigration enforcement division director Basri Othman.

“One of the premises not only offered massage and reflexology services, but also provided sauna rooms for its clients,” he said.

Zakaria said the people were all detained on suspicion of committing offences under the Immigration Act 1959/63 and the Immigration Regulations 1963.