Teknaf, Sept 16 (V7N) – Police rescued 13 people, including women and men, who had allegedly been gathered in a coastal area of Teknaf for trafficking to Malaysia by sea.
The group was rescued during a police operation at Kachhapia coast in Baharchhara Union around 8pm on Tuesday.
According to police, two of those rescued are Rohingya refugees, while the remaining 11 are Bangladeshi nationals. They were allegedly assembled in the remote coastal area with the intention of being trafficked to Malaysia by sea.
Police said a human trafficking network has been active around the remote coastal areas of Teknaf, attempting to send people to Malaysia through sea routes.
Acting on a tip-off that several people had been gathered at Kachhapia for trafficking, a team from the Baharchhara Police Investigation Centre conducted a raid on Tuesday night.
Sensing the presence of police, the suspected traffickers fled the area. Police, however, rescued 13 people from the spot.
The rescued individuals are being questioned as police seek to identify those involved in the alleged trafficking network. Legal action will be taken against those found responsible, police said.
Inspector Mohammad Sayeed, in-charge of the Baharchhara Police Investigation Centre, confirmed the rescue operation.
“We were able to rescue 13 people who had allegedly been gathered for trafficking to Malaysia. They are being questioned,” he said.
Mohammad Saiful Islam, officer-in-charge of Teknaf Model Police Station, said police conducted the operation based on confidential information and rescued 13 people who were allegedly being prepared for the journey to Malaysia.
“Two of them are Rohingya and the other 11 are Bangladeshi nationals,” he said.
END/MSI/SMA/
