KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 24 — The Immigration Department managed to rescue 40 Indonesian women suspected to be victims of a human trafficking syndicate in raids in several locations around Petaling Jaya yesterday.
Its director-general Datuk Zakaria Shaaban said they also arrested four individuals, including the mastermind, who was operating behind a foreign worker agency.
“A local woman and three Indonesians (a woman and two men), aged 28 to 50, were arrested while the rescued victims, 21 to 51, have been in Malaysia between one and seven years,” he said in a statement today.
Zakaria added that they also seized 12 Indonesian passports belonging to the victims and other foreigners who dealt with the syndicate previously.
Preliminary investigations found that the syndicate would deceive victims with job offers, offering to manage their legal work permits and high salaries, but the victims would be housed in places prepared by the syndicate, with their movements controlled and their passports held.
The victims were made to work as daily housemaids or cleaners without legal work permits and did not receive the salaries promised; some had work permits issued by employers, but did not work for them.
He said the case is being investigated under Section 12 of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act 2007.
