U.S. probes link between Malay officials, trafficking

The migrants, mostly from military ruled Myanmar but also from other countries, were allegedly taken by the government officials to the border between Malaysia and Thailand, where they were extorted or sold to human trafficking syndicates.

The probe is being conducted by the U.S. Senate foreign relations committee and the findings will be relayed to key U.S. enforcement agencies and Interpol for possible action, Senate officials said.

“U.S. Senate foreign relations committee staff are reviewing reports of extortion and human trafficking from Burmese and other migrants in Malaysia, allegedly at the hands of Malaysia government officials,” a committee staff member said. Myanmar's previous name was Burma.

“The allegations include assertions that Burmese and other migrants — whether or not they have UNHCR documentation — are taken from Malaysian government detention facilities and transported to the Thailand-Malaysia border,” the official said.

At the border, they alleged, “money is demanded from them, or they are turned over to human traffickers in southern Thailand.”

Some of the immigrants from Myanmar and other countries are refugees recognized by the office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

Since 1995, about 40,000 refugees from Myanmar have resettled in the United States, many going through Malaysia.

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