KUALA LUMPUR: A total of 213 factories and business premises were issued compound notices while nine factories were ordered to close during Ops Patuh operations nationwide.

       Home Minister Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin said a total of 19,192 checks were conducted since Friday (July 2) at 19,111 premises and 81 workers' dormitories.

       "These checks were led by 157 police district chiefs throughout the country.

       "They issued 213 compound notices to employers on Friday compared to 63 compound notices issued on June 24.

       "Police also ordered nine premises to shut down," he told reporters on Saturday (July 3).

       He said checks revealed that many factories and business premises, even those which had permits to operate had closed during the operations.

       "That being said we will continue to investigate and ensure premises that don't have permission remain closed.

       "We do not want a situation where the premise only closes during the day of our operations and re-opens the following day," he said.

       Ops Patuh is the enforcement operation to check SOP adherence under the National Recovery Plan (NRP).

       Hamzah said seven million people watched live coverage of the operation which was streamed on Facebook.

       "This shows that the operation was a success and we will carry out more.

       "We will also announce new strategies," he said, adding that they would also monitor construction sites and houses with foreign workers.

       Meanwhile, Bukit Aman CID director Comm Datuk Seri Abd Jalil Hassan led an anti-vice raid at an apartment in Cheras on Saturday evening.

       "We detected a prostitution den here and arrested 10 women from Thailand and a local man who worked as their transporter.

       "Our investigations revealed they promoted their services via Instagram and social media.

       Comm Abd Jalil said the group had been in operation for over a year.

       "We will also investigate the case under the Anti-Trafficking of Persons and Smuggling of Migrants Act to see if any of the women were exploited and forced into the flesh trade.

       "I also advise the public to refrain from such activities which could transmit sexual diseases as well as Covid-19.