Mass graves and suspected human-trafficking detention camps have been discovered by Malaysian police in towns and villages bordering Thailand, the country’s home minister said on Sunday.
Home Minister Ahmad Zahid said officials are determining whether the graves were of human-trafficking victims, but did not say how many dead bodies were discovered, Reuters wrote.
“This is still under investigation,” he told reporters on the sidelines of an event in Kuala Lumpur.
According to media reports, the mass graves were believed to contain the bodies of hundreds of migrants from Myanmar and Bangladesh.
Police discovered 30 large graves containing the remains of hundreds of people in two places in the northern state of Perlis, which borders Thailand, the Utusan Malaysia newspaper reported.
The Star newspaper reported on its website that nearly 100 bodies were found in one grave on Friday.
“I reckon it was a preliminary finding and eventually I think the number would be more than that,” Zahid said when asked about reports of the number of mass graves discovered.
He said the camps identified are in the areas of Klian Intan and villages near the border.
“They have been there for quite some time. I suspect the camps have been operating for at least five years,” he noted.
