9 individu perdagang budak dituduh sertai kumpulan terancang

Nine members of the Yunaa Gang, accused of involvement in child trafficking for sexual exploitation, face charges at the Magistrate's Court in Petaling Jaya on January 7. The case will be transferred to the High Court. PETALING JAYA: Three of the members, Lai Kok Hoe, Tham Yong Zhi, and Seah Joon Kiat, pleaded guilty after the charges were read out in court.

Additionally, Mohammad Joshua Salman, Mohd Amrul Naim Mohd Asbie Syaifullah Abdullah, and Mohamed Amirul Mohamed Razali were also charged, while three women, Nur Suhada Benjamin Abdullah, Nuraslinda Natasha Hanafi, and Aiman Muna Mohamed Razali, faced the same accusations. No confessions were recorded, and based on their charges, they could face imprisonment for five to 20 years under Section 130V(1) of the Penal Code, which prescribes a penalty of imprisonment between five and 20 years if convicted.

The case was set for re-trial on January 7 before being transferred to the High Court. The prosecution is handled by Deputy Public Prosecutor Lina Hanini Ismail, while Seah is represented by Kailash Sharma and Lai and Tham by Kelvin Francis, while the remaining six defendants are without legal representation. Yesterday, media reported that police had successfully dismantled the Yunaa Gang, accused of involvement in 17 cases of child trafficking and sexual exploitation exploitation through Operation Angel in the Klang Valley on September 24-26.

Bukit Aman's Chief of Criminal Investigations, M Kumar, told reporters that the gang, active since early 2024, comprised 10 individuals aged 18 to 44, led by a 30-year-old local man. He added that the group was believed to be able to generate a daily income of RM15,000 or RM450,000 monthly, equivalent to RM5.4 million annually through their illicit activities.