KUCHING: Reports of paedophile Alladin Lanim being caught at a quarantine centre in Kuching after returning from West Malaysia were incorrect, said Sarawak Police Commissioner Datuk Aidi Ismail.

He said, Alladin never left Sarawak since returning to the state in 2016.

Instead, Aidi said Alladin was caught as a result of a cooperation between the Royal Malaysia Police and their Australian counterpart which identified the suspect through his activities in the Dark Web.

"Based only on that information, police launched an investigation until they finally managed to trace Alladin who was working as a field conductor at an oil palm estate in Biawak, Lundu.

"On July 5, Alladin was arrested and police found thousands of child pornography in his mobile phone and he is being investigated under Section 10 of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017 (Act 792)," he said in a statement yesterday.

Aidi also said five children living in the suspect's neighbourhood have come forward with their parents to lodge police reports and assist in investigations.

He said on Aug 16 and 17 Alladin was charged at the Kuching Sessions Court with 18 charges and he was sentenced to 48 years and 6 months jail and 15 strokes of the rotan.

"The accused is now serving his sentence and at the same time several other charges are being proposed to the deputy public prosecutor soon," he said.

-- BERNAMA