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Arrest warrants out for suspected traffickers of Rohingya migrants

Xinhua, May 4, 2015 Adjust font size:

Arrest warrants will be issued for several suspected human traffickers held responsible for the deaths of a number of Rohingya migrants in southern Thailand.

Thai police chief Pol Gen Somyod Pumpanmuang said on Monday arrest warrants have already been issued for three suspected human traffickers allegedly preying on Muslim migrants who had fled sectarian violence in Myanmar's Rakhine state and sought asylum in a third country.

Arrest warrants are yet to be issued for three other suspects on human trafficking charges, according to Pol Gen Somyod who declined to reveal names.

Arrested on Sunday for alleged involvement in the human trafficking racket was an unidentified Thai municipality councilor in Padang Besar area of Songkla province, bordering Malaysia's Perlis state.

The suspects had allegedly brought the Rohingyas from Ranong province on the Andaman Sea shores to the Thai-Malaysian border with intent to traffick them over into Malaysian territory, the police said.

Around 30 graves and makeshift shelter for the Rohingyas were found on Friday in Padang Besar's forest area which is only about 300 meters from the Malaysian border.

While some of the ill-fated migrants might possibly have died of malaria or other illnesses as they were hiding out in the woods, others might possibly have been killed by suspected traffickers, according to the police.

Police investigation into the deaths of the Rohingyas and illegal human traffickings is currently going on, said the police chief while visiting the border area. Endi