KUALA LUMPUR: An underage foreigner, suspected to be a human-trafficking victim, was rescued from a restaurant in Shah Alam, Selangor in a raid by the Immigration Department yesterday.
The minor is believed to have been exploited for forced labour.
Immigration Department deputy director general (operations) Jafri Embok Taha, in a statement, said the 10.30pm raid involved officers and personnel from the Putrajaya Immigration Department's Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants and Anti-Money Laundering Prevention Division.
He said the raid on two Shah Alam restaurants, which focused on tackling people smuggling and the smuggling of migrants, netted several foreigners who did not have valid working permits.
"A total of 14 people were detained, comprising four men and one woman from Myanmar, three men and three women from Indonesia, and three men from India.
"Officers also caught one worker who was attempting to flee," he said.
He said the operation was conducted to identify human trafficking victims, based on the National Guideline on Human Trafficking Indicators (NGHTI) 2.0.
"Following checks, the department detained two employers, both Malaysian. Four witness summonses were also issued to identified individuals to aid the investigation.
"The Immigration Department has launched investigations under Section 14 of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act (ATIPSOM) 2007 (Act 670), namely trafficking children for exploitation," he said.
Conviction under the Act could mean life imprisonment or a maximum five years' jail, as well as whipping for more severe offences.
"We welcome cooperation from the public if they have any information of human-trafficking activities, in line with the government's aim to tackle people smuggling and trafficking of migrants," he said.
Complaints or tip-offs can be channelled to the ATIPSOM and Anti-Money Laundering Prevention Division by calling 03-88801471 or emailing urusetia_p@imi.gov.my