KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA, Oct 18, 2025 – Malaysian police have dismantled a human trafficking ring exploiting Indian women for sex work in the heart of the capital, rescuing seven victims and charging five suspects, including a fellow officer, in a case that underscores the syndicate’s ruthless control tactics.
The operation, codenamed Op Pintas (Sex Exploitation), was carried out by the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants (ATIPSOM) Division under the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) at Bukit Aman. It targeted a hotel along Jalan Ampang in Kuala Lumpur on September 30, 2025, around 1:00 AM.
According to a statement released by CID Director CP Datuk M. Kumar A/L S. Muthuvelu, the raid freed seven Indian women aged between 25 and 40, who investigators believe were victims of human trafficking. The women had been lured to Malaysia with false promises of domestic helper jobs but were instead coerced into prostitution. They were placed under strict surveillance by the syndicate, with some enduring physical beatings and threats of violence for refusing to comply.
“These victims were trapped in a cycle of exploitation, their dreams shattered by deception and brutality,” the statement noted.
In the sweep, officers arrested 12 suspects believed to be members of the trafficking network. The group included two local Malaysian men aged 34 and 63, as well as six Indian men and four Indian women aged 21 to 58.
Further investigation revealed the syndicate’s operations involved smuggling the women into the country illegally and forcing them into sex work. On October 16, 2025, case files were forwarded to the Attorney General’s Chambers, which greenlit charges against five of the arrestees—including one police officer suspected of syndicate involvement—under Section 12 of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act 2007 (ATIPSOM).
This section targets the trafficking of non-children for exploitation purposes, carrying a maximum penalty of 20 years’ imprisonment and a fine upon conviction.
Additionally, five foreign suspects face charges under Section 6(1)(c) of the Immigration Act 1959/63 for entering Malaysia without valid travel documents. Conviction could result in a fine up to RM10,000, up to five years in jail, or both, plus up to six strokes of the cane.
All accused appeared before the Sessions Court Criminal 9 at the Jalan Duta Court Complex in Kuala Lumpur on October 17, 2025.
The Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) vowed zero tolerance for such crimes. “PDRM will not compromise with any party involved in human trafficking offenses,” the statement emphasized. “Stern action will be taken against perpetrators of the ATIPSOM Act 2007. The public is urged to channel any related information through the nearest police station.”
This bust highlights ongoing efforts to combat transnational trafficking networks preying on vulnerable migrants. Authorities continue to probe the remaining suspects for deeper syndicate links.
