PUTRAJAYA: Thailand has approved Malaysia's application to extradite 10 Thai nationals believed to have mastermind human-trafficking activities across the Malaysia-Thai border.
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said Malaysia had submitted 10 names to the Thai government during his visit to Bangkok recently.
Based on the investigation into mass graves found near the border areas last year, these 10 suspects aged between 35 and 60 were identified as having been involved in the crimes.
"Not all 10 suspects are in Thai police custody. Some of them are still at large," he told reporters after a bilateral meeting with his Thai counterpart General Prawit Wongsuwan on security cooperation between the two countries today.
Both Zahid and Wongsuwan co-chaired the bilateral meeting to deliberate on various aspects including extradition, cross-border crime, international prisoners exchange programme, immigration cooperation, terrorist deradicalisation and border management.
Mass graves of possible victims of human trafficking were discovered in May and August last year near the border areas between Malaysia and Thailand. More than 100 grave sites were found.
Zahid said Malaysia had also submitted a request to Thailand to provide biometrics data of those with dual Malaysian-Thai citizenships for next course of action to be taken.
The deputy prime minister said having two citizenships could trigger security issues, making it easy for such people to take refuge in either country.
"Malaysia recognises only one citizenship and so does Thailand," he said.