Police: Seven Pakistani men held for human trafficking

KUALA LUMPUR - Seven Pakistani men were arrested on suspicion of being involved in a human trafficking case, at an apartment in Taman Pandan Perdana, Ampang, here, on Monday (June 12).

Ampang Jaya district police chief, ACP Mohd Azam Ismail, said that all of them, aged 21 to 44, were arrested at 5.30 pm by a police team from the Criminal Investigation Division of the Ampang Jaya district police headquarters.

He said that the police received a report from a male victim, who is a 23-year-old Pakistani national, who was beaten by four fellow countrymen who were believed to be agents who brought him into Malaysia to find work.

"The victim's passport was also kept by the suspects, and he was beaten and not allowed to leave the house. The victim suffered pain in his body including his left arm.

"During the arrest, the police also rescued four other Pakistani male victims, and seized 22 Pakistani passports, five suitcases and three mobile phones, as well as the broomstick used to beat the victims," he said in a statement today.

"Checks found that all suspects have no previous criminal records, and they all tested negative for drugs.

"All suspects were remanded for seven days, starting yesterday until next Monday (June 19), and the case is being investigated according to Section 12 of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act (Atipsom) 2007, which is trafficking people with the intention of exploitation,” he said. - BERNAMA