SEPANG: Police are gathering intelligence on the human trafficking syndicates responsible for duping Malaysians and forcing them to work in scam and gambling syndicates overseas.

       Bukit Aman CID director Comm Datuk Seri Abd Jalil Hasan said they would take statements from the 12 who returned on Tuesday (April 11) to build a case.

       "Initially, we received 35 reports involving 45 individuals who were trapped by syndicates overseas, but through our investigations, we managed to identify 16 who were forced to work in Cambodia," he said.

       Comm Abd Jalil added that Myanmar, Laos and Thailand are among the other countries where Malaysians are currently being held against their will.

       "We advise those with information on the case or family members who have yet to come forward to lodge reports about those trapped overseas to do so immediately," he told reporters at klia2.

       Foreign Affairs Ministry Deputy Secretary General of Bilateral Affairs Datuk Amran Mohamed Zin said based on initial information from the Malaysian Embassy at Phnom Penh, the 12 were involved in activities which were against the law there.

       "The Ministry through the Embassy there worked closely with its counterparts in Cambodia to bring back these individuals," he added.

       Amran said although the Cambodian government found that the Malaysians broke the law there, they put aside any legal action against them so that they could be brought home.

       He added that the four who were under quarantine there would be monitored closely by the Malaysian Embassy in Cambodia.

       Amran said the Cambodian government banned online gambling on Jan 1, 2020 and since then, operations have been ongoing there to curb such activities.

       "The 16 were caught by Cambodian authorities on April 4 and were sent to Phnom Penh three days later. We continuously worked with our counterparts there through the Embassy to ensure their return," he said.