Sunday, April 10, 2022

RM10,000 paid to free Malaysian teen from Myanmar gang



RM10,000 paid to free Malaysian teen from Myanmar gang


MCA’s Michael Chong said the 15-year-old teen had earlier been promised a job in Johor but was later taken to Myanmar through illegal routes.

KUALA LUMPUR: The family of a 15-year-old Malaysian teenager lured by a criminal syndicate to Myanmar has forked out RM10,000 in ransom for his release.

At a press conference, MCA public services and complaints department head Michael Chong said the teen was released by his captors following pressure from the media.


“The teenager is now is safe hands and is waiting to be returned home through Thailand as the ransom has been paid,” said Chong.

The teen’s mother told reporters her son was taken away by a few local men on March 23 under the pretext of giving him a job in Johor.


However, he was instead taken to Myanmar through illegal routes to work for a criminal syndicate.

Following pressure due to media coverage, his captors agreed to release the teenager if a ransom was paid.

“They first asked for 300,000 renminbi but I managed to negotiate to bring it down to RM23,000 and then RM10,000 for his release,” said the teen’s cousin.

Chong said with the help of Malaysian businessmen in Thailand, the teenager, along with another Malaysian teenager, were now safe and waiting to return home.


Separately, two Malaysian men lured to work for a similar syndicate in Cambodia have been rescued by local police through the efforts of the Malaysian embassy in Cambodia, the Malaysian police and the foreign ministry.

“They were among the 10 names we had submitted to the Malaysian embassy to help return home. We will follow up on the remaining eight,” said Chong.

Last week, police said they had received six reports involving 26 victims who had been lured by syndicates to work in Thailand, Laos, Myanmar and Cambodia.

Bukit Aman criminal investigation department director Abdul Jalil Hassan said they would seek the assistance of Interpol and Aseanapol to track down and rescue the Malaysian victims.

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