DHAKA: The campsites built by human traffickers near here were said to have been found early this year, contrary to claims that they were discovered on May 11.

Personnel from the General Operations Force involved in the combing exercise said the sites in Perlis were found earlier.

One of them, who declined to be named, claimed they found a site following a major arrest of illegal immigrants in January this year.

‘Those detained told us where they came from and we followed the trail until we found the campsite,’ he said, reports The Straits Times.

Another officer confirmed that the camp was actually discovered in November last year.

However, he was unsure why the matter was only being made public now.

‘When we discovered this camp, there were some 50 people, believed to be Rohingya and Bangladeshi, caged.’

‘They looked weak and starving,’ he said, adding that no Malaysian was found at the camp.

Padang Besar OCPD Supt Rizani Che Ismail believed the camp had been there for some time too, declining to divulge further.

Earlier before the hike, North Brigade General Operations Force staff officer for operations Deputy Supt Mohd Salleh Mohd Hussain said there was only one holding camp in Wang Burma hill.

The rest of the camps and graves were at Wang Perah hill.

BDST: 1316 HRS, MAY 27, 2015
RR