In-depth reporting on Malaysia and the region.
Malaysian immigration authorities have arrested a Myanmar national suspected of operating as an illegal agent for a crime syndicate producing counterfeit Temporary Employment Visit Passes for undocumented migrant workers across the region.
A Sessions Court in Pasir Mas imposed a RM10,000 penalty on a man convicted of harbouring two undocumented Myanmar nationals, signalling authorities' continued crackdown on individuals facilitating illegal migration.
Singapore authorities have arrested and will charge nine people—eight men and one woman aged 20 to 41—for their alleged involvement in sexually exploiting two minors. The woman faces human trafficking charges.
A 20-year-old Singaporean woman missing in Cambodia for days has been found safe in Phnom Penh. Authorities ruled out kidnapping, confirming she left voluntarily to escape family stress.
The UN's International Organisation for Migration has flagged online scam compounds as one of the world's fastest-growing forms of human trafficking, with criminals targeting educated job seekers across social media platforms.
Malaysian authorities have documented 180 citizens detained in foreign jurisdictions since 2024 for involvement in international drug trafficking schemes, predominantly recruited through deceptive employment offers.
A Bangladeshi man appeared in Kulim magistrate's court charged with illegally possessing 11 passports of other Bangladeshi nationals, highlighting document fraud risks in the region.
An Indonesian court has convicted all 19 members of a human-trafficking syndicate accused of smuggling babies to Singapore and beyond. The mastermind, 70-year-old Lie Siu Luan, received a seven-year prison sentence for coordinating the illegal operation.
Bukit Mertajam MP Steven Sim is pushing authorities to launch a thorough investigation following a police operation that freed a Cameroonian woman from trafficking in Bukit Mertajam, raising concerns about the scope of the criminal network.
Bukit Mertajam MP Steven Sim has demanded a thorough investigation into a human trafficking operation uncovered in Berapit, urging authorities to pursue all perpetrators including organisers.
Thai police say a Norwegian man accused of financing a boxing camp used to traffic minors for sexual exploitation died of natural causes before the investigation began. A 28-year-old camp manager was arrested following a raid.
A major investigation has exposed how a gambling empire controlled by a well-connected Cambodian businessman provided premises to international scam syndicates and human traffickers operating from a border casino, raising questions about oversight and political ties.
The European Commission has unveiled a comprehensive sanctions regime targeting migrant smugglers and trafficking networks, aiming to disrupt criminal operations and protect vulnerable populations seeking migration.
The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission has detained 33 people, among them enforcement officers and government employees, suspected of involvement in criminal operations targeting foreign nationals.
Malaysia's Home Ministry has intensified operations against foreign begging syndicates, detaining 42 foreigners involved in begging during enforcement drives. Authorities are investigating local collaborators and coordinating with police and city authorities to dismantle networks exploiting vulnerable individuals.
Indonesian prosecutors have sought sentences of up to 10 years for 19 defendants accused of trafficking at least 34 babies between 2023 and 2025, with evidence suggesting at least 12 infants were sent to Singapore in what authorities describe as one of the country's most significant cross-border human trafficking cases.
A Thai woman has been sentenced to seven years and six months in prison after trafficking her 12-year-old daughter to Japan, where the child was forced to provide sexual services at a massage establishment in Tokyo.
Malaysia's Deputy Home Minister reported zero arrests under anti-trafficking legislation in Kedah and Perlis, despite continued enforcement actions against Myanmar migrants in the northern states.
A migrant smuggling syndicate has adapted its operations by transporting undocumented migrants in small groups rather than large batches, according to Malaysian authorities. Thirteen Myanmar nationals were arrested in Kelantan during an operation.