Probe on human trafficking link to dead man

GEORGE TOWN: Penang police are now investigating whether an incident of a missing person who turned up dead on Tuesday morning is linked to a human trafficking operation in Kedah.
State CID chief SAC Mazlan Kesah said the body of Abul Kassim Abdul Shukur, 40, was found about 8.30am by the public in Jalan Ara Kuda in Kubang Semang with injuries to his head.
He said the victim was reported missing by his wife on Jan 12 after a group of men had taken him away from his home in Jelutong.
Police subsequently detained a 33-year-old man on Tuesday in Permatang Janggut, who then led them to a house in Kulim, Kedah.
Mazlan said police freed 17 male Myanmar nationals at the house and detained two other Myanmar nationals and a Bangladeshi, aged between 18 and 24, who were guarding those in the house.
Police later detained five men, aged between 24 and 26, at Bukit Tengah and Sungai Acheh in follow up operations, he added.
He said initial investigations led police to believe that the death was the result of an altercation over payment for human trafficking activities.
Police are investigating the authenticity of a United Nations refugee card found on the deceased and how long the 17 have been in Malaysia.
"We are still on the hunt for more suspects," he told a press conference.
All eight detained have been remanded until Jan 20 to assist in investigations.