Police rescue 16 foreigners, including 7 children, from forced labour in Klang Valley
KUALA LUMPUR: Police rescued 16 foreign nationals, including seven children, who were being exploited as forced labour in a series of operations conducted yesterday.
The raids, part of Op Pintas Mega, were led by the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants (ATIPSOM) Division (D3) of the Bukit Aman Criminal Investigation Department (CID), and took place at four locations across Selangor and Kuala Lumpur.
Authorities also arrested 45 foreign nationals for various immigration offences.
Bukit Aman D3 principal assistant director, Senior Assistant Commissioner Soffian Santong said the first raid took place at a restaurant in Bandar Tasik Puteri, Rawang, at 12.05am.
"Five boys, four from Myanmar and one from Indonesia, aged between 16 and 17, were rescued under Section 44 of the ATIPSOM Act," he said.
"Following this, we arrested two men, one local and one Indian national, who acted as the employer and supervisor of the boys."
"In the same raid, 20 individuals aged between 22 and 45 were detained, including 10 Myanmar nationals, four Indians, two Bangladeshis, and two Indonesians," he added in a statement today.
Soffian said the second raid was conducted at a construction site in Pantai Dalam, where eight men who were being exploited were rescued.
"Nine individuals, including a local supervisor aged between 35 and 51, were detained."
The third operation took place at a car workshop in Puchong Utama, Selangor, at 4.16pm, where two boys aged 14 and 17 were rescued, and their employer was arrested.
"A subsequent raid was carried out at another car workshop at the same location at 4.25pm, where a child from Myanmar was rescued," he said.
"In that operation, a 45-year-old local man believed to be the employer, along with two Myanmar nationals, were also arrested."
All rescued victims were handed over to the Gombak, Brickfields, and Subang Jaya district police headquarters for further action.
He added that the joint operation involved the Immigration Department, Labour Department, Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Council and the Home Ministry.
It was aimed at identifying victims of human trafficking and forced labour exploitation, particularly among vulnerable groups.
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