Malaysia Deports Thai Women Linked to Human Trafficking Group
GHRTV Reporter
Jessica Cook
Human Rights Researcher
Global Human Rights Defence
On Monday 7th of November, the Royal Malaysian Police arrested three Thai women and deported them to Thai police forces. The women were believed to be part of a human trafficking group which brought individuals into Malaysia [1]. During the same raid, two Thai and two Indonesian women were rescued and placed under an interim protection order [2]. This joint operation between Royal Malaysian Police and Royal Thai Police is part of anti-trafficking operations aiming to put an end to young women being lured into Malaysia for forced sex work through online social media advertisements [3]. No further details were given by Malaysian authorities.
Just two weeks ago on October 31st, Malaysian and Thai police broke down a trafficking group rescuing four victims in Malaysia, including a 13 year-old girl forced into prostitution at a hotel in Kuala Lumpur [4].
Cross-border illicit trafficking between Thailand and Malaysia has been ongoing in recent years despite cooperation efforts, including regional efforts to end transnational organized crime in the region. This has included the implementation of Border Liaison Offices aiming to facilitate information and intelligence sharing linked to trafficking. Despite this, the United Nations Regional Office for Southeast Asia and the Pacific signaled that organized crime is an increasing threat in the Mekong region, with economic disparities between countries benefiting organized criminal groups [5].
Sources and further reading:
[1] The Sun Daily (2022, November 7) M’sian police hand over three women involved in human trafficking to Thai police, The Sun Daily. Retrieved on November 13 from:
[2] Free Malaysia Today (2022, November 7), Police deport 3 Thai women in human trafficking case, Free Malaysia Today. Retrieved on November 13 from:
[3] Boonkong, C, O’Connor, P (2022, November 8), Thais in Malaysia face charges in joint police force action against cross-border human trafficking, Thai Examiner. Retrieved on November 13 from:
[4] MalayMail (2022, October 31), Malaysian, Thai police cripple human trafficking ring, rescue victims in Malaysia, MalayMail. Retrieved on November 13 from:
[5] United Nations Regional Office for Southeast Asia and the Pacific (2021, March 26), UNODC and Thailand review cross-border cooperation efforts in response to transnational organized crime, United Nations. Retrieved on November 13 from:
https://www.unodc.org/roseap/en/2021/03/cross-border-cooperation/story.html
