SONGKHLA, July 1 — Thailand police rescued 20 Myanmar nationals, including a toddler and five children, believed to be human trafficking victims in a shophouse at Padang Besar, Sadao, Songkhla on Saturday.

Police general Suchart Theerasawat of the National Police Office said the sound of crying baby as well as kids screaming and yelling for days at the abandoned shop house prompted the public to lodge a police report.

Suchart, who is also in-charge of an anti-trafficking unit, led the rescue operation and was shocked to find a group of migrants who were weak and hungry, and locked in the unit.

"Upon arrival, we heard women and children who were crying inside.

"When we entered the warehouse, we found 20 people — nine men, five women and children aged between six to 14 and a one-year-three-month old toddler who were struggling in the packed shop house.

 "The victims said they were locked up for at least five days in the warehouse without food and drinks,” he said when contacted today.

Police believed the victims were locked in the warehouse while waiting to enter the Malaysian border.

"Police are tracking down the mastermind of the human trafficking syndicate,” he said. — Bernama