The Perak Immigration Department yesterday arrested 40 Chinese nationals, believed to be part of the remaining suspects who had escaped during an operation in Cyberjaya last month.

Its director Kamalludin Ismail said the suspects, comprising 38 men and two women aged between 18 and 54, were arrested in a raid on a bungalow on Jalan Tun Dr Ismail in Ipoh.

He said a check on the house found that it had been used to operate online activities and as a one-stop centre for the Chinese nationals, judging by the supply of food found.

"We believe they have been in the bungalow for two weeks and during the four days the house was under surveillance, no in and out movements were recorded," Kamalludin told a press conference in Ipoh today.

According to Kamaluddin, 80 mobile phones, 31 computers, seven high-tech routers, 76 bank cards, 27 Chinese credit cards and 31 Chinese identification cards were seized in the raid.

After further investigations, he said, it was believed that immoral activities were also going on in the premises and one of the women was detained for alleged prostitution.

Twenty-six Immigration personnel were involved in the two-hour operation which began at 4.30pm, he added.

On Nov 20, in a raid on a six-storey building in Cyberjaya, the Immigration Department arrested 680 Chinese nationals (photo, at the top) while about 100 others managed to flee during the operation.

- Bernama