<!-- Story Without Image / With eXtra Large Image End --> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="560"><tbody><tr><td colspan="2" valign="top" width="550">Three underaged sisters rescued from vice syndicate <!-- TITLE : end--> </td> </tr><tr></tr><tr> <td colspan="2" align="left" valign="top" width="550"> <table> <tbody><tr> <td> <table><tbody><tr><td>
The Star/Asia News Network </td> </tr></tbody></table> </td> <td align="right" width="400">
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KOTA KINABALU: Three underage sisters were among 26 Filipino women rescued from a vice syndicate during a raid by police in the eastern Sabah district of Tawau. Police rescued the sisters aged between 13 and 16 during the operations around the town area on Wednesday.
State anti-vice chief Deputy Supt Tayfik Mydin said police also detained eight people including four women believed to be member of the syndicate. "We first rescued a 13-year-old girl. From her, we gained information about her elder sisters aged 15 and 16 who we found in different houses," he said.
He said acting on further information, police managed to rescue another 23 Filipino women who were being forced into prostitution. Taufik said that all the women have been brought into the country illegally. "Some of them have been locked up for over a year and were only let out to service clients," he said.
He said the women were being kept in a safe house near here pending further investigations. He said investigations were being carried out under the Human Trafficking Act 2007 that provides for a maximum of 20 years jail term and fine not exceeding RM500,000 (S$213,550).
Police, he said, were still looking for other members of the syndicate. "We hope members of the public will come forward to assist us with more information. They have nothing to fear as the identity of informants will be kept secret," he said.
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