Two local men were arrested on Tuesday for allegedly forcing a masseuse from Indonesia to masturbate their clients, Judiciary Police (PJ) spokesman Chao Teng Hin said during a special press conference yesterday.
Chao identified the suspects as a 53-year-old massage parlour owner surnamed Choi and his 47-year-old brother, also surnamed Choi, who worked as the parlour’s manager. The victim is a middle-aged female non-resident worker (NRW) from Indonesia who worked as a masseuse at the massage centre in Nam Van.
The Judiciary Police (PJ) had recently received a referral from the Public Security Police (PSP) concerning a case of coerced prostitution. The victim was recommended to the parlour’s management in July 2024 through an employment agency. Beginning in September 2024, the parlour’s owner forced her to masturbate clients, charging 1,680 patacas per service, of which the victim received only 150 patacas each time. Facing financial pressure, including having to pay agency fees and the responsibility of supporting her family in Indonesia, the victim was forced to comply.
Meanwhile, the manager was responsible for signing receipts, allowing the victim to collect her earnings. She was required to wear a black dress provided by the centre while performing the sex service. By the time the case was uncovered, the victim had serviced over 100 clients, making a profit of at least 153,000 patacas for the suspects.
Chao noted that on Tuesday morning, police raided the parlour, seizing four black dresses, three bottles of massage oil, three mobile phones, and numerous receipts. They also detained three staff members at the scene for further investigation, including another masseuse and two cleaners. Both suspects were apprehended separately later that day at their flats in Areia Preta (黑沙環). Under questioning, both suspects refused to cooperate.
The duo have been transferred to the Public Prosecutions Office (MP), each facing a coerced prostitution charge. Chao added that the offence of pimping carries a possible prison sentence of one to five years.
Judiciary Police (PJ) officers escort the two hooded suspects to a PJ van outside the PJ headquarters in Zape yesterday. – Photo: Ada Lei
