SEREMBAN, Aug 3 ― Police have arrested a male celebrity on suspicion of involvement in human trafficking for sexual exploitation.

He was picked up at a roadblock in Negri Sembilan two days ago, Kuala Pilah District Police chief Supt Amran Mohd Ghani said today.

Following the arrest, the police rescued a woman of Melanau descent from a hotel room in Kuala Pilah at about 10am, he said in a statement.

The police seized a car, several packets of condom, some cash and four handphones at the time of the arrest, he said.

Amran said the rescued woman had secured a temporary protection order and had been placed in a shelter home in Johor.

"The case is being investigated under Section 12 of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act 2007 which provides for a jail sentence of up to 15 years and a fine upon conviction.

Amran said the celebrity is being remanded under Section 117 of the Criminal Procedure Code for four days from last Sunday.

He also said that the man was issued with a compound fine for inter-state movement without a permit under the Covid-19 pandemic rules.

"Investigation is also on to identify the network of the human trafficking activity,” he said. ― Bernama