Cops rescue 16 forced labour victims in Klang Valley raids
Police rescued 16 people, including teenagers, believed to be victims of forced labour during a series of raids across the Klang Valley yesterday.
Bukit Aman D3 chief Soffian Santong said the first raid by the Bukit Aman Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants (Atipsom) unit took place just after midnight on May 8.
The unit, under Op Pintas Mega, raided a restaurant in Bandar Tasik Puteri, Rawang, where...
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New Straits Times
30-05-2025
- New Straits Times
55-year-old woman charged with trafficking underage boy and girl
JOHOR BARU: A 55-year-old woman was charged in the Sessions Court here today with two counts of trafficking underage children last year. The accused, Haliza Palok, pleaded not guilty after the charges were read out by the court interpreter before Judge Thalha Bachok @ Embok Mok. According to the charge sheet, Haliza was alleged to have trafficked a boy, aged between 10 and 12, and a girl, aged between 13 and 15 by exploiting them for illegal activities under Section 5(1)(c) of the Children and Young Persons (Employment) Act. The alleged offence was committed at Jalan Kargo 2, Senai Airport City, Senai, at 6.54pm on Dec 19 last year. The charges were framed under Section 14 of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act 2007 that carries a sentence of life imprisonment or a minimum of five years' jail and whipping upon conviction. Deputy public prosecutor from the Immigration Department, Tan Yen Thung, proposed bail of RM20,000 for each charge with two sureties. Tan also proposed the court impose additional conditions including monthly reporting to the Johor Immigration Office and surrendering the accused's international passport to the court. However, lawyer Amarpreet Singh Rajwinder Singh, representing the accused, requested minimal bail, stating that his client was unaware of being charged today and that both she and her husband were unemployed. The court later granted bail of RM17,000 for both charges with two guarantors, along with two additional conditions as proposed by the prosecution. The accused was also prohibited from interfering with prosecution witnesses. The case is fixed for mention on Aug 27 for the submission of documents.
The Star
30-05-2025
- The Star
Mom of four charged with trafficking, exploiting children in Johor
JOHOR BARU: A 55-year-old woman has claimed trial to two counts of trafficking and exploiting underage children. The accused, Haliza Palok, pleaded not guilty when the charges were read before Sessions Court judge Thalha Bachok @ Embok Mok on Friday (May 30) here. In the first charge, Haliza was accused of trafficking a boy, estimated to be between 10 and 12 years old, and exploiting him for activities in violation of Section 5(1)(c) of the Children and Young Persons (Employment) Act 1966. For the second charge, she was accused of committing the same offence against a girl believed to be between 13 and 15 years old. She was alleged to have committed the offences at around 6.54pm on Dec 19 last year, at Jalan Kargo 2, Senai Airport City. The charges were framed under Section 14 of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act 2007, which provides for life imprisonment or a minimum of five years' jail and whipping, upon conviction. The prosecution was led by Immigration Department deputy public prosecutor Tan Yen Thung, while Haliza was represented by Amarpreet Singh, who appeared on behalf of lawyer Mohd Amierul Sharafi Shahazan. Tan requested bail to be set at RM20,000 for each charge with two sureties and for the accused to surrender her passport and report to the department once a month. Amarpreet asked for a lower amount, citing that his client and her husband were currently unemployed. He added that the accused, a mother of four, suffers from hypertension and had not been informed earlier that she would be charged in court. 'The accused was only told to go to the Immigration office to give her statement. She and her family had only a few hours to prepare the bail money,' he said. Judge Thalha then set bail at RM17,000 in total with two sureties, and allowed the prosecution's additional conditions. She also instructed the accused not to contact or disturb the victims and fixed Aug 27 for the next mention. It is learnt that the two children, believed to be from the Philippines, were made to work at a battery factory. It was also learnt that the accused had allegedly acted as a middleperson who 'supplied' workers to businesses.
The Star
30-05-2025
- The Star
Police uncover human smuggling syndicate, rescue four victims
JOHOR BARU: Police have arrested three Myanmar nationals believed to be involved in a human smuggling syndicate that exploited victims by forcing them to work as guest relation officers (GROs). Johor police chief Comm Datuk M. Kumar said the suspects, aged 30 to 49, were arrested on May 8 in Johor Baru and Kuala Lumpur. "We also managed to rescue four women, aged 21 to 26, who are believed to be victims of labour exploitation. "We believe the syndicate lured victims to Malaysia with promises of waitress jobs at restaurants offering salaries between RM1,500 and RM2,000 a month," he said in a statement. Comm Kumar said the victims, who are also Myanmar nationals, were believed to have been smuggled into the country through Rantau Panjang, Kelantan. "They were then brought to Senai by land and forced to work as GROs in entertainment outlets. "The victims allegedly worked without pay for about two months to 'repay' the cost of entering Malaysia, which was about RM20,000," he said. Comm Kumar added that the women were confined in a locked hostel and closely monitored. "If they asked about their wages, they would be beaten. The suspects also sent them videos of abuse to intimidate them," he said. He said police also seized a padlock with keys and a tripod believed to have been used to lock and assault the victims. Comm Kumar said two of the suspects will be charged at the Johor Baru Sessions Court under Section 12 of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act 2007 (Act 670), for human trafficking offences on Friday (May 30).
