PENANG police rescued three Indonesian men after they endured enforced captivity for some 11 months at a condominium in Jalan Dr Wu Lien Teh here last evening.
A crack police team stormed the condominium after one of the men managed to send his location through a smartphone.
It prompted family members to alert the police in Penang, who swung into action after surveillance at the condominium for a few days.
A relative of one captive from Aceh, Indonesia, lodged a police report while searching for his family member who had been missing for close to a year.
The three "prisoners" were confined to the residence with their feet chained to iron bars on the window, but they were fed meals to ensure they could survive their ordeal.
Their passports were allegedly held by a suspect under the pretext of securing employment.
It is also believed that they entered the country to work as farm hands but something went wrong.
Police are currently investigating the case, including the motive for the confinement and the possible involvement of other individuals,
Four local suspects including a foreign woman, were remanded for four days starting today to assist with the investigation under Section 344 of the Penal Code, which pertains to wrongful confinement for an extended period.
The remand order was issued by Magistrate Azlan Basri at the George Town Court.
Penang police chief Datuk Hamzah Ahmad confirmed the case and the arrests when his comments were sought. - June 11, 2025.
