Celebrity held in human trafficking case freed on police bail

SEREMBAN: A male celebrity who was arrested last Sunday on suspicion of being involved in human trafficking for sexual exploitation was released on police bail yesterday.

The matter was confirmed by the Negeri Sembilan police contingent headquarters’ Criminal Investigation Department head, ACP Ramlan Abdul Razak, when contacted by Bernama today.

“We allowed a bail yesterday, however, this case is still under investigation,” he said.

Yesterday, the media reported that the man was arrested on suspicion of involvement in human trafficking after he was picked up at a roadblock in Negeri Sembilan.

Following the arrest, the police rescued a woman of Melanau descent from a hotel room in Kuala Pilah at about 10 am. The woman had secured a temporary protection order and had been placed in a shelter home in Johor.

The case is being investigated under Section 12 of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act 2007 which provides for a jail sentence of up to 15 years and a fine upon conviction.

The man was also issued with a compound for inter-state movement without a permit under the Covid-19 pandemic rules. -Bernama