KUALA LUMPUR: An international vice syndicate that lures Malaysian women into the worldwide sex trade was smashed with the arrests of two members.

The women, who were duped by promises of lucrative jobs abroad, were instead sold as sex workers in countries like Australia and several European nations.

The couple, a 44-year-old man and his 55-year-old live-in partner, was nabbed at their home in Pandan Perdana, here, at 1am yesterday.

Following the arrests, eight local women and another from China, in their 20s, were rescued by a police team from the Bukit Aman secret societies, gambling and vice division that raided the house.

The women were believed to be the syndicate?s latest victims.

Federal CID deputy director I (Intelligence and Operations) Deputy Comm Datuk Hadi Ho Abdullah said the syndicate was a major player in the international sex trade with an extensive networking system.

DCP Hadi said the victims, who were mostly in their teens and early 20s, were promised high-paying jobs in countries of their choice.

"Initial investigations revealed that the duo, who have been operating for at least a year, made a profit of more than RM1mil thus far.

"It produces forged visas, passports and other relevant documents for the victims," he said at a press conference at the federal police headquarters in Bukit Aman, here, yesterday,

DCP Hadi said police have yet to ascertain the number of Malaysian women who were duped and ended up as sex workers abroad but believed the figure could be in the hundreds.

DCP Hadi said police also did not rule out the possibility of the syndicate working with personnel from the Immigration Department or other relevant government departments.

He advised the public not to be fooled by individuals promising them suspiciously lucrative jobs abroad. -The Star/Asia News Network