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ALOR STAR: Police rounded up 28 illegal immigrants, believed to be victims of human trafficking, when they raided a double-storey house in Taman MBI Desaku, Padang Serai, near Kulim, yesterday.
Kedah Criminal Investigation Department chief SAC Sapii Ahmad said police stormed the house at 2.30am following a tip-off.
“Police detained 28 men comprising seven Pakistanis, eight Indian nationals and 13 Bangladeshis, aged between 21 and 44. All of them did not have valid travel documents.
“Preliminary investigations showed that all the victims had just arrived at the house from Kuala Lumpur, pending their transfer to another place for the purpose of human trafficking for use as forced labour,” he said in a statement here today.
Sapii said that during the raid, a man, believed to be the house caretaker, fled into the forest near Jalan Kulim-Baling, leaving behind a four-wheel drive.
“We are still trying to trace the owner of the vehicle for further investigation. All those arrested are being held at the Kulim district police headquarters.
“The case is being investigated under Section 44 of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act 2007 (ATIPSOM),” he added. — Bernama
