KOTA KINABALU: Sabah police conducted separate operations in the Keningau district and at a hotel here and arrested three men suspected of being involved in a human trafficking ring, rescuing two women and a 12-year-old girl in the process.
The first arrest took place in a village in Keningau, where a 30-year-old woman and the girl were discovered and saved. Two men, aged 15 and 44, were apprehended during this raid and believed to be the runner and transporter, according to Keningau OCPD Supt Yampil Anak Garai.
Later, the police raided a hotel in Jalan Lintas Plaza and successfully rescued a 19-year-old woman. During this operation, a 23-year-old man was also arrested. The authorities seized RM785 in cash, seven mobile phones, and several condom packets.
Preliminary investigations revealed that one of the suspects was responsible for delivering the victims to their clients, while the other two were involved in finding potential clients through a mobile chat application. To avoid detection, the group frequently changed their locations.
The suspects have been remanded for five days and are currently under investigation for their alleged involvement in human trafficking and sex exploitation activities. These charges are in accordance with the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants (Atipsom) Act 2007.
