The Immigration Department rescued 65 Bangladeshis believed to be human trafficking victims in Bandar Baru Nilai, Negri Sembilan on Tuesday (Sept 4).

Its director-general Datuk Seri Mustafar Ali said all the Bangladeshis were found at the dormitory of a company supplying foreign workers here.

"Preliminary investigations found that these workers were most likely manipulated by the company. They have not been paid their salaries for three to five months, but were instead given loans from RM300 and RM500," he told a media conference here Wednesday (Sept 5).

Mustafar said the department also detained two members of the company's board of directors, both aged 51, to facilitate investigations.

The department also seized 377 passports, mainly Bangladeshi, 61 types of documents related to the case such as contracts, payment vouchers and records pertaining to the company's dealing with the Home Ministry.

Mustafar said investigations also found that the company had falsified the Home Ministry's approval letter for foreign workers quota, apart from submitting false information to obtain Visit Pass-Temporary Employment (PLKS), he said.

He said the case was being investigated under the Immigration Act 1959/63, the Passport Act 1966 and the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act 2007. – Bernama

Source: The Star Online

BDST: 1257 HRS, SEP 6, 2018

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