KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 21 — Police have arrested 155 people as part of a nationwide operation to detain remaining individuals linked to the Global Ikhwan Services and Business Holdings (GISBH) that is accused sexually exploiting and trafficking hundreds of children in the country, said Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Razarudin Husain.
In an update on the latest action under Ops Global, the IGP said multiagency raids were conducted across Malaysia involving 3,801 enforcers from the police, Ministry of Health, the Department of Social Welfare, the Malaysian Islamic Development Department, the Chemistry Department, and the National Registration Department, among others.
“A total of 155 suspects were arrested, consisting of 78 men and 77 women, across 82 premises, including charity homes, clinics, business premises, religious schools, and private homes,” he said in a statement today.
“A total of 186 victims, including 102 men and 84 women, were rescued, among them a child who went viral on social media after being caned by a man believed to be a GISBH member.”
Razarudin said some of the premises raided were empty as the GISBH members had apparently fled.
All arrests are made under Section 31(1) of the Child Act 2001 and Section 14 of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act 2007, he said.
The police official also urged individuals who believe they may have been victims of GISBH activities to lodge police reports in order for a more comprehensive case to be developed against the group.
On September 11, over 400 children, some as young as one, were rescued in police raids across welfare homes allegedly linked to GISBH in Selangor and Negeri Sembilan, with 173 arrests made.
Since then, the scandal has grown in scope and proportions, culminating in today’s arrests.
Razarudin later said that 173 individuals, including caretakers, religious teachers, and the centre’s chairman, were arrested following the initial raids.
GISBH executives were initially hostile over the allegations, threatening legal action over the claims of sodomy and other abuses that police disclosed after the initial raids.
Police have since arrested most of the company’s top management including its chief executive officer, and several individuals have already been charged with various crimes in the case.