The police have detained five transvestites on suspicion of robbing a foreign tourist in Jalan Penang here early Tuesday.

Timur Laut district police chief, ACP Mior Faridalatrash Wahid said the suspects were among 12 transvestites picked up during an operation about 11pm Wednesday in Jalan Chulia.

He said in the hold-up, the suspects had confronted the foreigner, in his 30s, when he emerged from a convenience store in Jalan Penang.

He said an Indonesian immigrant who was among the remaining seven was picked up to facilitate investigations into violation of his social visit pass.