Keningau cops bust prostitution syndicate exploiting teens, including Form Two students

The Star

a day ago

KOTA KINABALU: A human trafficking syndicate exploiting students as sex workers was busted in a special operation conducted in the interior Keningau district last month, says the police.
The special ops held from July 24 to 29 saw the Keningau police rescuing four victims between the ages of 13 and 21, including two Form Two students, and arresting eight others to facilitate investigations.
Keningau OCPD Supt Yampil Garai said initial investigations suggested that the syndicate recruited secondary school students to solicit for prostitution.
'This matter came to light when parents of the suspected victims lodged a report on July 24,' he said.
He said the victims were rescued thereafter, while the suspects were hauled in to assist probes under the Anti-Human Trafficking and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act 2007.
Supt Yampil said following the arrests, an 18-year-old girl known as Elly, believed to be their pimp, had been charged under the Act.
He said the syndicate used social media to attract customers and charged around RM200 for each client before the victims were sent to hotels.
'The payment would be shared among the pimp and victims,' he said,
Supt Yampil said all victims have been sent to the Keningau clinic for health examinations and are placed in a shelter home.
For the two underage girls, the court has approved a three-month protection order and they have been placed at the Ampang Protection Home in Selangor until November.
He urged parents to be more alert of their children's activities and be mindful of who they hang around with.