KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA: Those who seek the services of prostitutes, beware.

Starting today, Dang Wangi police will not only crack down on vice syndicates but also on clients of prostitutes.

They will be hauled to court and will face the same charges as members of vice syndicates.

Dang Wangi police chief Assistant Commissioner Mohd Zulkarnain Abdul Rahman said yesterday that those who sought the services of prostitutes would be charged with involvement in vice activities.

Clients and vice syndicate members who are Muslim will also face charges in the syariah court for having illicit sex.

"They will be handed over to the Federal Territory Religious Department when we have completed our investigations."

Mohd Zulkarnain has pledged zero vice activities in the district following the arrest of 51 foreign women, believed to be prostitutes, yesterday.

The women, aged between 20 and 40, were detained in a three-hour raid at two adjacent restaurants in Jalan Medan Imbi here.

Seventeen were from Indonesia, 14 from Thailand, 11 from China, five from Laos, three from Vietnam and one from Myanmar.

Checks revealed that 11 were without valid travel documents.

Two local men in their 20s were also detained. The two are drivers who ferried the women to meet their clients.

Police seized two cars used by the men. All 53 suspects have been remanded for a week.

Investigations revealed that the women would wait at the restaurants for the drivers to pick them up and send them to their clients.

Mohd Zulkarnain said the syndicate had been operating the past three months. He also warned hotel and restaurant owners not to allow their premises to be used for vice activities or they would face the consequences.