KUALA LUMPUR: Global Ikhwan Services and Business Holdings (GISB) chief executive officer, his wife, and several top management members have been arrested as part of an ongoing police investigation into the entity.
Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Razarudin Husain said they were among 19 people arrested when the police raided a complex in Bukit Bintang here today.
Others arrested during the raid included the CEO's daughter and son, aged 37 and 25 respectively.
It is learnt that four children of Al-Arqam founder, Ashaari Mohammad were also arrested during the 5.40am raid.
"The raid was coordinated and carried out by Bukit Aman Criminal Investigation Department D8 (special operations), D14 (organised crime), and the special integrated investigation team ," he said when contacted.
He confirmed that 12 men and seven women were arrested in the raid.
"The individuals arrested included 11 suspects who were on our target list including the top management of the company.
"We are in the process of applying for remand orders on all the suspects aged between 25 and 65," he said.
Razarudin added that the case was being investigated under Section 32 of the Child Act, Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act and Section 14 of the Anti Trafficking In Persons and Smuggling of Migrants Act.
GISB is now the focus of a police investigation after raids were conducted on 20 welfare homes allegedly linked to the group last week. The raids saw 402 people, some as young as 1-year-old, rescued.
Police said the victims had endured various forms of exploitation and abuse, including being sodomised.
GISB has since denied the allegations of child exploitation and sexual abuse.
Earlier today, three men linked to GISB were charged at the Sessions Court in Seremban, Negri Sembilan with several charges of committing physical sexual assault against children.
The three accused, aged between 20 and 22, pleaded not guilty to all the charges.