KUCHING: The arrests of 47 Malaysians in Cambodia have brought to light a new modus operandi being employed by international human trafficking syndicates.
Sources said syndicates were believed to be operating “recruitment agencies” which targeted people from low-income families and those without educational background, especially those from Sabah and Sarawak, as well as rural areas.
They said such syndicates would offer jobs overseas with lucrative salaries paid in American dollars, free flights and lodging.
This offer led to the 47 Malaysians, aged between 19 and 44, flying to Cambodia, where they were arrested in Poipet, Banteay Mancheay, some 400km north of Phnom Penh, on Dec 11.
Zunita Sedini, the mother of Yusuf Islam Abdul Halik, 21, one of those arrested, said the offer was too good for her son to turn down.
She said her eldest son was vague about the offer made by the recruitment agency to him.
She said he only told her that the pay offered was lucrative and it came with many perks, including free flight tickets and accommodation.
“I felt a little uneasy when he told me he wanted to work in Cambodia. He said he was going to work there for three months.
“I was sceptical about the offer, but I didn’t expect this to happen. I hope they will be released soon and brought back home.”
Zunita said she did not know where her son received the offer from but did not discount the possibility that he had been influenced by friends.
“I believe that my son and the others were taken advantage of by a syndicate and now they are stuck there (in Cambodia),” she said, adding that she last spoke to Yusuf on Dec 25.
Sources said the syndicate would bring their victims into Cambodia in small groups, stopping at several places before entering the country.
Unknown to the victims, their entry into Cambodia would be based on social visit passes and not work permits.
This, a source said, was to prevent Cambodian authorities from knowing the reason they entered the country.
The source said, based on the information received, none of the victims knew what jobs they were being brought in to do.
“They were only told that they would be promoters for an internationally-known electrical brand and would earn between US$100 (RM407) and US$200 a day, and the recruitment agency would pay for their flight tickets and accommodation.
“They were told that they would work only for three months. This seemed a fantastic offer, especially to those who were looking for jobs, besides being able to travel while earning money.”
The source said the information given to the victims was kept vague on purpose so that family members would not find out what was going on.
“It is a bit of a surprise, however, as they were arrested by Cambodian authorities on suspicion of being involved in online gambling when all this while they did not even work and were kept in their lodging.”