24 bodies of suspected trafficking victims found in Malaysia

Graves are in abandoned jungle camps in northern Perlis state

Malaysian police say they have found another 24 bodies of suspected human trafficking victims in jungles bordering Thailand.

Authorities in May said they discovered 139 suspected graves in abandoned jungle camps in northern Perlis state, a remote area bordering Thailand that trafficking syndicates used as a transit point.

Most were believed to be from Burma's persecuted Rohingya minority and impoverished migrants from Bangladesh.

Another 24 bodies have been discovered this week, in addition to 106 bodies found earlier, police said. The bodies have been sent for post-mortem examinations, they added.

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The discoveries in northern Malaysia followed similar revelations earlier in May in Thailand, where police unearthed 36 bodies from shallow graves in seven abandoned camps on the Thai side of the border.