Kota Kinabalu: Police rescued five victims of human trafficking, including a child believed to have been exploited as a labourer, during a series of operations conducted in Sabah.
State Police Commissioner Datuk Jauteh Dikun said the rescue was made during Op Pintas, carried out by the Criminal Investigation Department in collaboration with the Sabah Police Contingent Headquarters D7 division.
He said the operation targeted activities related to human trafficking and immigration offences in several areas across the state.
“Between Saturday and Sunday, enforcement teams conducted raids at plantation areas in Kunak, Kinabatangan and Beluran,” he said in a statement.
Following the raids, police successfully rescued five victims believed subjected to labour exploitation.
One of the victims was a child who is believed to have been forced into labour.
Police also detained 16 individuals, including plantation supervisors, undocumented foreign workers and individuals suspected of managing workers at the plantations.
Initial investigations revealed that some workers did not possess valid travel documents, while there were also indications of labour exploitation, including passports being held by employers, low wages and poor living conditions.
The case is being investigated under Sections 12 and 14 of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act 2007 (Atipsom) as well as relevant provisions under the Immigration Act 1959/63.
