WeChat, a commonly used social networking app among Malaysians has recently been identified as an app that prostitutes use to promote their business. While these allegations aren’t really new to many of us, the police have recently crushed a huge sex promotion syndicate that uses WeChat as their main platform. 

After raiding 4 budget hotels around Bukit Mertajam, Butterworth and Simpang Ampat, a total of 11 local and foreign women aged between 25 to 47 years old were arrested. 

Besides this recent bust, there have been many cases in the past of prostitutes using the WeChat feature called People Nearby, a feature that allows you to chat with people who are near you, to find and trick people to accepting their services. 

According to the Head of the Penang Criminal Investigation Department, Senior Assistant Commissioner Rahimi Ra'ais, all the women who were caught in the bust were “purchased” through WeChat and then transported to the hotels to provide the customer with the services they paid for. 

Each customer was charged between RM 120 to RM 200 for the services. 

Besides the women, two men who are believed to be customers and the hotel owners were also arrested and taken to the nearest police headquarters for further action. 

The public is also requested to inform the local authorities if they have any knowledge of immoral activities happening in their surrounding areas.