In an operation late Tuesday night, police rescued 12 Rohingya refugees and eight Bangladeshi citizens from an alleged human trafficking attempt along the Teknaf coast. The group was reportedly being prepared for illegal transport to Malaysia.

According to Gias Uddin, Officer-in-Charge of Teknaf Police Station, the rescue took place in the Lombori area of Teknaf following a tip-off. A police raid on a house in South Lombori led to the arrests of three suspects: Luna Begum (36), Md Ridwan (19), and Md Abdullah (21).

“At least five to six people attempted to flee when police surrounded the house, but we managed to apprehend three traffickers. The remaining suspects escaped,” said Gias Uddin.

The rescued Rohingya are believed to be from various refugee camps in Teknaf and Ukhiya. The Bangladeshi victims were also among those being readied for illegal transport.

The traffickers reportedly gathered the victims with the intention of sending them to Malaysia in exchange for a large sum of money. The arrested individuals have allegedly confessed to their involvement in the trafficking syndicate, and police are now preparing to prosecute them.

Efforts are ongoing to track down the other suspects who fled during the raid.

BOB Post