Thailand gives nod to extradite cross-border human trafficking masterminds

PUTRAJAYA: Thailand has accepted Malaysia's request to extradite 10 of its citizens believed to be the masterminds of human trafficking activities across the Malaysia-Thai border.
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the individuals aged between 35 and 60 are also believed to be involved with the Wang Kelian case where police found 139 mass graves.
"The 10 names were submitted to the Thai government during my visit to Bangkok recently, these people need to be extradited in order for legal action to be taken against them.
"Malaysia would not want the international community to look at it (human trafficking cases) as only done by Malaysia, but more a case of a cross-border crime," Ahmad Zahid said after a bilateral meeting with his Thai counterpart General Prawit Wongsuwan on security cooperation between the two countries here.
Ahmad Zahid, who is also Home Minister, said the Thai authorities informed him that not all 10 suspects are in their custody, as some of them are still at large.
He said the government had also submitted a request to Thailand to provide biometrics data of those with dual Malaysian-Thai citizenships for the next course of action to be taken.
He said there are security issues in having dual citizenship as it would be easy for the person to take refuge in either country.
"Malaysia recognises only one citizenship and so does Thailand.
"So I've informed my counterpart to identify the names of those who have dual Thai and Malaysian citizenship and supply the information or their biometric fingerprint," Ahmad Zahid said.