Human trafficking: Malaysia on the hunt for syndicate masterminds

He said the discovery of graves and detention camps, believed used by people-smugglers, in Wang Kelian recently was a very sad incident.

He said stern action against the masterminds should be taken if people-smuggling activities were to be eliminated.

"I am made to understand that the heads of the syndicates are not Malaysian people.

"If we want to eliminate human trafficking, we have to take stern action against the masterminds, not the henchmen," he told a media conference after the presentation of the "Desa Sejahtera 1Malaysia" award here Saturday.

Najib said Malaysia needed the cooperation of neighbouring countries to identify the masterminds of the syndicates concerned.

He said Malaysia condemned human trafficking activities and would take stern action against those involved.

"I want the police to investigate and action to be taken against anyone involved, including our people,” he added.

He also said the government would continue to identify the bodies, believed to be those of victims of human trafficking, found in the graves in the country's borders.

"Some have been exhumed and taken to Alor Setar (Kedah) to be analysed by the forensics," he added.

To a question on the absence of a perimeter fencing along the Malaysia-Thai border making it easy for smugglers to carry out their activities, Najib said even if there was a fence, the syndicates would find a way to cross over.