JOHOR BARU: The Johor Immigration Department has rescued three Indonesian women believed to be victims of human trafficking during a special operation at a business premises in Mount Austin here.
State Immigration director Datuk Mohd Rusdi Mohd Darus said the operation was carried out on Tuesday (Jan 6) between 3.30pm and 6.30pm, involving 24 officers from its enforcement division.
He said the three victims were found working at the premises when officers conducted the raid.
“Initial investigations revealed that the victims were forced to work at a factory owned by their employer in the morning before being required to continue working at a residential premises after factory hours,” he said here on Wednesday (Jan 7).
Mohd Rusdi added that the victims’ passports were confiscated by their employer, their movements were restricted and they were prohibited from communicating with their families.
“The victims, aged between 24 and 33 years old, were reported to have worked as domestic helpers for between one and two years.
“Based on their initial statements, they were promised a monthly salary of RM1,800 but did not receive full payment throughout their period of employment until now,” he said.
Mohd Rusdi added that following the operation, three local suspects — a man and two women aged between 31 and 62 years old — were arrested to assist in investigations under the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act (Atipsom) 2007 (Act 670).
He said the rescue operation applied an approach focused on identifying trafficking victims among vulnerable groups, guided by the National Guideline on Human Trafficking Indicators (NGHTI) 2.0.
Mohd Rusdi also said that Johor Immigration would not hesitate to take stern action against any employer who exploits foreign workers through coercion, threats or abuse.
