KUALA LUMPUR: Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Razarudin Husain announced that the raids on GISB Holdings Sdn Bhd (GISBH) since last Wednesday have led to 200 arrests so far.
He said 31 suspects are GISBH members and have been remanded for seven days to assist with investigations under Section 12 of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants (ATIPSOM) Act 2007.
He added that 17 out of these 31 suspects arrested in Kuala Lumpur, Pahang, Negeri Sembilan, and at the Malaysia-Thailand border in Kelantan and Kedah have been identified as holding senior positions within the organisation.
“Of the suspects arrested, 139 have had their remand extended, while 23 have been released on police bail for specific reasons,“ he said in a statement today.
Earlier, Bernama reported that in raids at four different locations in Kelantan and Pahang, police arrested seven members of Remaja Pembela Ummah (RPU) under the company, including the son of a former senior al-Arqam leader.
On Wednesday, it was reported that 24 key individuals linked to GISBH, including top management, were arrested in Kedah and Kuala Lumpur.
Razarudin stated that to date, the police have initiated 37 investigation papers, including three in Kuala Pilah, Negeri Sembilan, under Section 14(a) of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017, and one in Sungai Kapar, Selangor, under Section 14 of the ATIPSOM Act 2007.
“Eight of these investigations have led to seven suspects being successfully charged on 29 counts,“ he said.
He revealed that all victims aged 18 and above have been handed over to their families, while those under 18 have been placed in the care of the Social Welfare Department under Section 25(2) of the Child Act 2001.
“The police remain committed to conducting a thorough investigation of the case. The public is advised to refrain from speculations while it is ongoing.
“Anyone who has been a victim or possesses any information on the case is urged to come forward and file a report at the nearest police station to facilitate a comprehensive and accurate completion of the investigation,“ he added.
During the Op Global raid on Sept 11, police rescued 402 children and teenagers from 20 charitable homes linked to GISBH in Selangor and Negeri Sembilan, who were suspected to be victims of sexual abuse and labour exploitation.
The raid also uncovered cases of neglect and abuse, leading to the arrest of 171 individuals, including 105 women.
