Immigration Dept raids illegal ewaste factory run by Chinese national

Source: The Star

PETALING JAYA: The Immigration Department has busted an illegal ewaste factory run by foreigners during a raid on Thursday (May 16), said Immigration Department director-general Datuk Ruslin Jusoh (pic).

He said the factory in Klang was raided following public complaints that it was operating illegally and had employed foreigners suspected to be victims of human trafficking.

"The raid was conducted after investigations based on the National Guideline on Human Trafficking Indicators (NGHTI) 2.0 showed elements of human trafficking.

"The joint-operation was carried out at 1.30pm involving officers from the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants (Atipsom) and Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities (Amla), with officers from the Putrajaya Immigration Department.

"Of the 35 foreigners checked during the operation, 33 of them were arrested - including two Chinese men, 27 Myanmarese men, two Cambodian men, one Myanmarese woman and one Cambodian woman," said Ruslin in a statement today.

He said the foreigners, aged between 19 and 40, had no legal documents and were staying in a hostel inside the factory.

"It is believed that they were held inside the premises by the factory owner who is suspected to be a Chinese national," said Ruslin.

He said the factory is believed to have generated profits of up to RM500,000 by recycling precious metal from ewaste.

"Based on investigations, the factory is suspected to have been registered under a Malaysian individual but run by a Chinese proxy. Investigations will be continued to trace the owners.

"The case will be investigated under the Immigration Act and Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants (Atipsom) 2007," said Ruslin.