10/18/2011 7:46 PM ET
(RTTNews) - Police in Malaysia said Tuesday they have busted a human trafficking ring and rescued some 21 Ugandan women who were forced into prostitution by ring members.
The Ugandan women, aged between 19 and 42, were rescued from an apartment block near Kuala Lumpur in a sting operation, which also led to the arrest of one male and two female members of the trafficking ring.
The apartment block was put under police surveillance after one of the Ugandan women managed to escape and sought police help. The rescued women have been transferred to a welfare home and are expected to be deported later.
Police said the women, who were promised well-paying hotel jobs in Malaysia by "recruitment agents" in their home country, were brought into Malaysia via China. But they were later forced to have sex with African men residing in Malaysia by the ring members.
The women were beaten up and locked in rooms by the ring members if they refused to have sex with the customers in exchange for money or attempt to escape. The detained ring members now face up to 15 years in prison if convicted on human trafficking charges.
Malaysia has been criticized in the past for not enforcing laws against human trafficking. The South Asian country has been on the US government's human trafficking watch list since last year.
Previously, Malaysia also figured in the US list of of nations with worst human trafficking records for three years. The upgraded status was prompted by the Malaysian government's stepped up efforts to curb sexual exploitation of women and children in the country.
by RTT Staff Writer
No comments:
Post a Comment