Trafficking gang busted in Malaysia

Malaysian Immigration Department yesterday rescued 59 Bangladeshi victims from a human trafficking syndicate during raids at two condominium premises in Desa Petaling, Kuala Lumpur, reports Malaysian newspaper, The Star.

A team raided the premises around 4:30pm. The victims were kept in crowded conditions.

Director-general Datuk Seri Mustafar Ali said a Bangladeshi man detained in the raid was believed to have had a role in managing the arrival of foreign workers and supplying them to employers.

Also arrested were two men and a woman of Bangladeshi origin who served as assistants and controlled the transit house from where the victims were sent to agents or employers.

"The victims stayed in the transit home in crowded conditions. Their mobile phones, passports and money were confiscated by the syndicate, and they were not allowed out of the house or make phone calls," Mustafar said in a statement.

Mustafar said the victims were also threatened if they did not follow instructions or tried to leave the transit house.

He said the syndicate was believed to be involved in the printing of fake immigration security stickers after a computer, printer and Bangladesh passports were found in a room on the premises.

The victims were promised jobs in Malaysia and were charged as much as Tk 3.5 lakh each to enter Malaysia through Indonesia.

They were flown to Jakarta from Bangladesh and taken to a location near a beach before put in a boat and trafficked to Malaysia.

"While in Indonesia, the victims were placed in a transit house and guarded by the syndicate.

"Victims were also not allowed out of the house and everything, including supplying of food and drinks, was managed by the syndicate," Mustafar said.

He said the victims had remained for two to seven days at the transit house until some employers were willing to pay the syndicate to secure their services.