Police probing forestry officers, human trafficking syndicate links: Ahmad Zahid

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KUALA LUMPUR: The police are investigating the possibility of forestry enforcement officers linked to international human trafficking syndicates and the mass graves discovered in Perlis.

Home Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said initial investigations revealed the rangers had been collaborating with not only locals but international human traffickers, including those from Thailand, Bangladesh and Myanmar.

“We suspect some of them were involved…but we are working with the forestry department in terms of enforcement as they are supposed to carry out enforcement in the area,” he told reporters at the Dewan Rakyat lobby here today.

Ahmad Zahid said the police had detained some of the officers and investigations were ongoing.

“I cannot reveal the details as yet. We are going to take legal action under the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act against them,” he added.

On Monday, the police discovered 139 grave sites and 28 human trafficking camps in Wang Kelian near the Malaysian-Thailand border.

Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar said the graves contained at least one highly decomposed body with only skin and bones at the camps, believed to have been abandoned less than two weeks ago.

Meanwhile, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim said the government would not take sides in its investigations into the matter.

Shahidan, who is also Arau MP and former Perlis menteri besar, said a thorough investigation would be carried out if it involved enforcement officers and government officers.-Bernama