KUALA LUMPUR: An organised crime group which have raked in up to RM5.4 million a year from prostitution and human trafficking used a Telegram channel to advertise its services, with an estimated 100 customers daily.
Federal Criminal Investigation Department director Datuk M Kumar said the group, known as Geng Yunaa, operated through the 'KLSELANGORFL' channel, offering an estimated 20 to 30 sex workers a day.
Customers were charged between RM200 and RM350, payable in cash, through Touch 'n Go transfers or banking QR codes.
"The group is believed to have served about 100 customers a day, collecting RM150 from each customer, while the remainder was paid to the sex workers.
"Based on this estimate, the group could generate RM15,000 a day," he said in a statement.
Police have since crippled the group in Op Angel, conducted across the Klang Valley from Sept 24 to 26.
Kumar said the group, comprising 10 members, had been active since early 2024 and recruited local teenagers, foreigners and underage children for sexual exploitation through prostitution in Selangor and Kuala Lumpur.
Acting on intelligence, police arrested seven suspects aged between 18 and 44, including the group's 30-year-old leader.
"All the suspects are being detained under the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 (Sosma) until Oct 23.
"Two other group members are being held at Kajang Prison and Henry Gurney School in Melaka over child trafficking and prostitution offences," he said.
Kumar said police were also tracking another member who remained at large.
He expressed serious concern over the exploitation of minors, saying the group's activities posed a threat to vulnerable individuals and social well-being.
"Geng Yunaa's activities are not merely prostitution offences, but also constitute serious sexual exploitation of vulnerable groups, particularly children, for substantial financial gain," he said.
During the operation, police seized 14 mobile phones, 33 boxes of condoms, six boxes of contraceptive medication, towels and lubricant gel.
Checks also found that several suspects had previous criminal records involving prostitution, drug trafficking, human trafficking and fraud.
Kumar said the operation had enabled police to solve 17 prostitution and child trafficking cases in Selangor.
He said nine group members would be brought before the Petaling Jaya Sessions Court tomorrow (Oct 23) and charged under Section 130V(1) of the Penal Code for being members of an organised crime group.
The offence carries a prison term of between five and 20 years upon conviction.
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