Three forced into scam to be deported

M’sians rescued in Thailand under Macau syndicate now at detention centre

PETALING JAYA: Three of the six Malaysians who were forced to work for a Macau scam syndicate in Bangkok are awaiting deportation home while the other three will be serving as court witnesses.

A source in the Malaysian Embassy in Bangkok said the earliest the three can return to Malaysia is next week.

“They are now at the Immigration Detention Centre in Suan Phlu, Bangkok, awaiting deportation.

“The other three are under the purview of Thailand’s Department of Justice as witnesses,” he told The Star.

They were happy to be rescued and to be able to return home, said the source who visited the victims yesterday.

The Malaysians, aged 19 to 27, were promised sales jobs but were instead forced to work for the syndicate after they arrived in Bangkok in August.

Their passports and handphones were seized by the syndicate that was led by a 29yearold Taiwanese, the suspected ringleader, who was detained last week.

A 19yearold Malaysian, who was believed to have colluded with the Taiwanese, was also arrested at the Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok on Saturday.

“Actually, the victims were unaware of what work they were doing.

“They just made calls according to the script prepared for them,” said the source.

When asked if the victims who were made court witnesses would have to stay in Thailand to assist in proceedings, he said it was a possibility.

While being held by the syndicate, Khu, a 19yearold girl, suffered bruises on her arm, legs and buttocks after she was beaten with a metal rod.

She also had a knife held to her neck that caused a small cut, and was stabbed in her palm.

Khu and another male victim named Wei, also 19, sought help via Twitter and Facebook.

Last week, Wei managed to contact his father in Kuala Lumpur via Facebook and provided him with the address where they were being held.

His father flew to Bangkok and sought help from the Malaysian Embassy on Tuesday.

“We shared the information with Thai police on Thursday because Bangkok was focusing on the King’s cremation ceremony,” he said, adding that the Thai police acted swiftly.

They raided the premises in Bangkok the next day and managed to rescue all six Malaysians.