Human Trafficking: Malaysia nabs Pakistani asylum seekers

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian marine police have intercepted a boatload of asylum seekers from Pakistan and Afghanistan who were attempting to travel to Australia via Indonesia. A marine police craft, acting on a tip-off late Monday, intercepted a boat with 13 people onboard after a 10-minute chase, Chuah Ghee Lye, police chief in southern Malacca state, told AFP. “We have detained four Pakistani men, four Afghans and five Indonesians, including the skipper. The refugees include an 18-month-old Afghan infant,” he said. “We believe they were being taken to Indonesia and possibly to a third country. I would not rule out the possibility (that they were heading to Australia),” he said. Chuah said only the Pakistanis had travel documents. “We will investigate the Indonesian skipper under human trafficking charges and may likely deport the Pakistanis and Afghans if they are found to be victims,” he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 3^rd, 2011.