Eight Sri Lankans linked to human smuggling arrested in Malaysia

Malaysian Police have crippled a Malaysian-linked syndicate that used the country as a transit point to smuggle Sri Lankans to European nations, the Star Online reported.

The human-trafficking syndicate, believed to be run by a Malaysian facilitator and two local escorts, hid the foreigners in Kuala Lumpur before smuggling them out of the country, said Inspector General of Police Datuk Seri Abdul Hamid Bador.

In a statement, Malaysia’s National Police Chief said the three Malaysians and eight Sri Lankans were arrested on 27 May.

The Police, he added, raided three locations including the Padang Besar Customs, Immigration and Quarantine Complex (in Perlis) and around the Klang Valley.

“The arrests were made while the syndicate was making preparations to smuggle a Sri Lankan child out of Padang Besar to Thailand using Malaysian travel documents. The child was destined for Europe,” he said.

Abdul Hamid said the three Malaysians had been remanded under the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012, while the eight Sri Lankans were detained under the Immigration Act 1959/63.

“With the arrests, we have crippled a syndicate which has been using Malaysia as a transit point for human trafficking,” he said.

He also said that the syndicate had been operating since last year and had a vast international network.

“We are now working on identifying and apprehending the remaining members of the syndicate,” he said.