Infant among victims of sexual abuse syndicate, say police
JOHOR BARU: A two-month-old baby is among five children believed to have been sexually abused by a syndicate here, with their images shared among paedophiles on the dark web and on Telegram.
Bukit Aman Criminal Investigation Department director Comm Datuk M. Kumar (pic) said the baby and four other children aged five were believed to have been sold to the syndicate through social media.
“The syndicate’s modus operandi was to offer pregnant mothers between RM1,500 and RM3,500 to give their child up for adoption through an advertisement on Facebook. They would also cover the mothers’ medical fees before taking them to the National Registration Department (JPN) to obtain a birth certificate.
“The children were then sexually abused to produce videos and photos that were uploaded on the dark web as well as shared on a Telegram group with subscribers from around the world,” he said at a press conference at the Johor police headquarters here yesterday.
Comm Kumar said the syndicate was crippled after a month-long operation following the arrest of a 29-year-old technician in Johor Baru, who is believed to be the main suspect, on July 19.
“We found dozens of sexual videos and photos of children on the phone seized from the suspect.
“An operation was then carried out in Johor Baru, Selangor and Penang between July 19 and Aug 19, leading to the arrest of 10 others.
“The suspects include two locals and eight foreigners, aged between 25 and 60, with some of the foreign suspects believed to have acted as caretakers of the children,” he said.
Comm Kumar added that the operation, codenamed Ops Pedo, also received support from an international agency.
He said among the items seized in the operation were birth certificates, pregnancy record books, MyKads belonging to other individuals, and unfilled JPN forms.
“Further checks on the documents seized also revealed that the main suspect was named as the father of some of the rescued children.
“We also learnt that, apart from the five children rescued, another victim, a one-year-old baby boy, was believed to have been sold to a family that had legally adopted him,” Comm Kumar said, adding that police are still identifying the mothers of the rescued children.
He said investigations also revealed that three other children, aged between five and seven, had been sexually abused and recorded by the syndicate.
“They targeted children left alone in their neighbourhood.
“Upon identifying their targets, they would force them to perform sexual acts and record them before leaving.”
Comm Kumar said the case is being investigated under Sections 5, 14(a) and 14(d) of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017.
He added that four of the suspects are also being investigated under Section 6(1)(c) of the Immigration Act 1959/63 for residing in Malaysia without valid documents, while one is being investigated under Section 36(1)(i) of the Births and Deaths Registration Act 1957 (Act 299) for using the birth certificate of a deceased person.
“Five of the suspects arrested were released after being made prosecution witnesses,” he added.
