PUTRAJAYA, March 16 — The Immigration Department has arrested three individuals suspected of exploiting and trafficking Indonesian workers over the past four years, during a raid on a house in Petaling Jaya yesterday.
Its director-general Datuk Ruslin Jusoh said that during the 10.30pm operation, a local man and woman, along with an Indonesian woman acting as agents, were detained.
“We also rescued four Indonesian women, aged 31 to 51, who were believed to be human trafficking victims.
“In this operation, we initially investigated to identify human trafficking victims using the National Guidelines on Human Trafficking Indicators (NGHTI 2.0),” he said in a statement today.
The initial investigation revealed the four Indonesian women had been exploited. They were victims of job scams and unpaid wages, with their movement restricted and their passports taken away from them.
Ruslin said the preliminary investigation suggests the agents are suspected of human trafficking, actively involved in managing entries, recruiting, offering maid services and controlling victims’ placement in homes.
“The three agents offered maid services priced between RM14,000 to RM20,000, along with promises of Temporary Employment Visit Passes (PLKS).
“The investigation revealed the agents used WhatsApp to arrange meetings with prospective employers and sent false information to make their transactions appear legitimate,” he said adding the case is being investigated under the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act 2007.
— Bernama
