BERNAMA
June 08, 2011 19:07 PM
SANDAKAN, June 8 (Bernama) -- Four masterminds of human trafficking and immigrant smuggling activities, including a Filipino woman, were arrested in an operation mounted by the Sabah Immigration Department here last Sunday.
Sabah Immigration Department director Mohammad Mentek said the four masterminds comprised two Philippine nationals and two Malaysian men aged 39 and 40.
He said 21 Filipino women were also detained in the five-hour operation which began at 9.45pm.
Two of the masterminds were nabbed with seven Filipino women at a hotel here, while the other two were arrested with 14 other women in a raid on a house in Batu 7.
He said only one of the Filipino women possessed a valid passport, while the rest did not have any identification documents.
Mohammad said the four masterminds had been remanded for a week to facilitate the investigation under the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act 2007, while the women were also being held for further action under the Immigration Act.
He said initial investigation found that the suspects had smuggled in the women to Sandakan by promising them jobs as nightclub singers and waitresses in Sabah, Labuan and Sarawak.
"The masterminds were also believed to have provided the women with all travel requirements, including forged passports.
"We also believe that Sandakan is just a transit district before the women were deployed elsewhere," he added.
-- BERNAMA
Sabah Immigration Department director Mohammad Mentek said the four masterminds comprised two Philippine nationals and two Malaysian men aged 39 and 40.
He said 21 Filipino women were also detained in the five-hour operation which began at 9.45pm.
Two of the masterminds were nabbed with seven Filipino women at a hotel here, while the other two were arrested with 14 other women in a raid on a house in Batu 7.
He said only one of the Filipino women possessed a valid passport, while the rest did not have any identification documents.
Mohammad said the four masterminds had been remanded for a week to facilitate the investigation under the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act 2007, while the women were also being held for further action under the Immigration Act.
He said initial investigation found that the suspects had smuggled in the women to Sandakan by promising them jobs as nightclub singers and waitresses in Sabah, Labuan and Sarawak.
"The masterminds were also believed to have provided the women with all travel requirements, including forged passports.
"We also believe that Sandakan is just a transit district before the women were deployed elsewhere," he added.
-- BERNAMA
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