MALACCA: From outside, nobody would suspect that two shophouses without signboards in Jalan Kampung Pantai and Lorong Hang Jebat near Jonker Street here were allegedly spas for gays.

More than 30 men, aged between 20 and 50, were caught partially or totally naked in a raid on the illegal spas last Friday.

The raid was conducted by officers of the Foreign Student and Workforce Division (FSWD) of the Chief Minister's Department, Immigration Department, Melaka Tengah district police headquarters, state Islamic Department (Jaim) and Malacca Historical City Council.

"We received a tip-off from the parents of an Indonesian student who learnt about their son's activities here," he said.

"We conducted surveillance on both centres for about a week.

"During the raid at 9pm, we found most of the men in both spas clad in towels. Some of them were also found naked in one of the spas' open shower area," he said, after the operation at Jalan Kilang, Melaka Tengah here.

He said two men in their 30s and 40s were given summonses by Jaim after being caught naked in a room.

"Jaim issued summonses to them, including the non-Muslim partner as he was also a witness," he said.

The raiding party also checked two pubs and two budget hotels in the Melaka Tengah area.

An unmarried Muslim couple, both aged 18, were detained by Jaim when they were found in a room.