KUALA LUMPUR: A human trafficking syndicate in Kedah has been busted with the arrest of nine foreigners.
Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar said the suspects – seven Myanmar nationals and two Bangladeshis – were detained on Monday.
“We view this matter very seriously,” he told media after the closing of an anti-human trafficking and migrant smuggling seminar at Maktab PDRM the Police College here yesterday
Khalid said a Malaysian man and eight foreigners were arrested following the landing of 1,109 boat people in Langkawi on May 10.
“The Malaysian was the owner of the boat and he has been charged in court on June 25 under the Anti-Human Trafficking Act,” he said.
Khalid said the two policemen who were arrested for involvement in human trafficking in Wang Kelian last month were currently undergoing “rehabilitation” under the Prevention of Crime Act at a detention centre.
“We are not discounting the possibility that most of the syndicate members operate abroad. That makes it harder for the authorities to bring them back to prosecute them. They could be foreigners or even Malaysians operating from outside.”
