KUALA LUMPUR, May 14 — Inspector-General of Police Datuk Seri Abdul Hamid Bador today said that the police have crippled a human-trafficking syndicate that attempted to smuggle Sri Lankan migrants using fake Malaysian passports.

Abdul Hamid said during an operation conducted on April 30, police detained two women —a Sri Lankan and a Malaysian — as they were about to leave for a European country using fake Malaysian passports at Kuala Lumpur International Airport.

"Four other suspects, including three Sri Lankans and a German, were arrested at various locations in the city for suspected involvement in human trafficking on the same day.

"In a follow-up operation on May 2, the police arrested and detained another five suspects — two Malaysians and three Sri Lankans — in the vicinity of Selayang, Selangor.

"Of the total 11 arrested, five will be investigated under the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 and the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and the Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act 2007,” Abdul Hamid said in a statement today.

He said the six Sri Lankan migrants will be prosecuted under Section 5(2) of the Immigration Act 1959/63 for entering and leaving the country via an unauthorised point.

"With the arrests, the police believe they have successfully crippled a human-trafficking syndicate which has been in operation since mid-last year, with a network stretching across Sri Lanka, Europe and Malaysia.

"Efforts to trace and counter migrant-smuggling syndicates will be continuously done by the police,” Abdul Hamid said.