Pahang police cripple human trafficking syndicate, 11 agents nabbed

Pahang police have crippled a human trafficking syndicate with the arrest of 11 men including a Myanmar national, who were believed to be syndicate agents in a raid in three districts in the state.

Pahang police chief Datuk Abd Jalil Hassan said the suspects, comprising 10 local men and one foreigner, aged between 28 and 70, were detained last Thursday after a-month surveillance under Op Benteng in Cameron Highlands, Lipis and Temerloh.

"Preliminary investigation found the suspects are involved in bringing in victims from Indonesia, Nepal, Bangladesh and Myanmar to work as farm workers as there is a high demand for these workers.

"Each agent gets around RM1,000 to RM3,000 per head to smuggle the illegal immigrants into Malaysia, and there is a high demand in Cameron Highlands,” he said in a press conference at Pahang contingent police headquarters here today.

Abd Jalil said all the suspects would be detained until July 3 under the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 and the case is being investigated under Section 26J of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act 2007.

In a separate development, Abd Jalil said police detained a couple aged 33 and 39 at an apartment in Cameron Highlands on Thursday for possessing about 4.4 kilogrammes of heroin worth RM40, 645 for the market here.

"The male suspect, who was working as a taxi driver, had allegedly used his vehicle to distribute the drugs around Cameron Highlands, Raub, and Lipis in the past six months. Urine tests found them to be positive for drugs.

He added the couple, who had previous drug-related criminal records, was remanded until tomorrow to facilitate investigations.

The case is being investigated under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952.

-- BERNAMA