KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia has arrested more than a dozen members of an alleged people trafficking syndicate after intercepting a ship carrying 127 Sri Lankan migrants believed to be bound for Australia and New Zealand, authorities said. Maritime authorities on Tuesday halted a modified tanker named “Etra” in Malaysian territorial waters off southern Johor state, national police chief Mohamad Fuzi Harun said in a statement on Saturday. Nearly 100 Sri Lankan men, 24 women and nine children were aboard the ship, which was making its way to international waters when it was stopped. Another four Malaysians were arrested in the nearby state capital of Johor Bahru, while a fifth was taken into custody in Penang. Four Sri Lankan men were arrested aboard the tanker for suspected involvement in the trafficking network, which Mohamad said had been operating since 2017.

Source: Manila Times May 06, 2018 10:41 UTC