KUANTAN: The police have detained a man who allegedly trafficked three Indian nationals and used them as forced labour at an oil palm plantation here.
Lipis district police chief Supt Azli Mohd Noor said the 36-year-old suspect from Kuala Lipis was picked up on Saturday afternoon at an eatery near the plantation.
He said the suspect was also believed to have been abusing the victims, aged between 33 and 48, by hitting, not giving them food and ordering them to work overtime and without leave.
“The three men, who are all married, claimed that they entered the country, between Sept 2018 and last April, using the services of an agent in India via social visit pass.
“The suspect had fetched them from KL International Airport and brought them to the plantation.
“They also claimed that the suspect had seized their passports and mobile phones as soon as they arrived and were placed at the workers’ quarters.
“They were paid between RM600 and not even paid at all,” he said, here, today.
Azli said one of the victims also claimed that his arms were chained and he was beaten for more than a month, which caused injuries to his left arm.
One of the victims managed to escape and lodged a police report at Lipis district police headquarters yesterday.
“The victims have been rescued while the suspect is being remanded for four days from today,” he said. - Bernama