KUALA LUMPUR: Four human trafficking syndicate members were arrested, with 40 suspected trafficking victims rescued in raids by the Immigration Department on Thursday (Oct 23).
Immigration director-general Datuk Zakaria Shaaban said the 40 Indonesian women were found in raids on several locations in Petaling Jaya.
One of the four arrested is believed to be the ringleader, who was operating through a foreign worker agency.
"A local woman and three Indonesians (a woman and two men), aged 28 to 50, were arrested while the rescued victims, 21 to 51, have been in Malaysia between one and seven years," he said in a statement on Friday.
Zakaria added that they also seized 12 Indonesian passports belonging to the victims and other foreigners who dealt with the syndicate previously.
Preliminary investigations found that the syndicate lured their victims with job offers, offering to manage their legal work permits and high salaries. The victims would then be detained by the syndicate, with their movements controlled and their passports held.
The victims were forced to work as daily house maids or cleaners without legal working permits and did not receive the salaries promised. Some of them did have working permits issued by employers, but did not work for them.
The case is being investigated under Section 12 of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act 2007, he added. - Bernama
