Six women were rescued from a human smuggling ring that allegedly opperates a series of illegal brothels in Kudat Malaysia, Locals had long complained in Southern Palawan about the ‘Blue boat trade’ describing what is one of many illegally engaged in human trafficking between the Southern Philippines and Malaysia.
Philippine Naval Forces West Public Affairs Officer Lt. Karen A. Abulon of Naval Station Del Rosario told journalists a joint tactical operation along with members of the Balabac Philippine National Police were able to find a bost with six women believed bound for sex industry dens in Sabah, Malaysia at Calandorang Bay, Balabac in Palawan.
Abulon, in a news release said that the "joint Navy and Police operation resulted on reports of a ‘concerned citizen’ to the small navy station on the Philippine Border with Malaysia.
The tip given the Navy was a small veseel the "KT Kudat, blue on its freeboard and pilothouse, was at the village of Bancalaan, Balabac, Palawan to transport women to Kudat, Malaysia."
A joint operation with elements of Naval personel conducted a patrol to preempt the illegal border crossing and human trafficiking , in its report to Manila ,"the joint team of NSNDR and Balabac-PNP spotted and intercepted a motor launch matching the description at the vicinity of Calandorang Bay, Balabac in Palawan."
The team found the six women on board four from Bulacan province on Luzon Island; and two residents of Quezon, Palawan; and
The vessel a small launch was operated by by a certain Rumi Bin Mamura with six other crew members.
Further the report by the Philippine Navy revealed that the vessel a motor launch is owned by a Chinese businessman based in Kudat, Malaysia.
Authorities found out that the motor launch has no documents except for a mayor’s permit with declared identification and classification as F/B Isle Fortune for a fishing boat in the Philippines. The vessel is one of many involved in illegal border crossings.
The six women were turned over to the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Balabac while M/L Kudat Transport remained in custody of the Balabac Police and proceedings are underway to have it forfieted to the local government.