Soffian Santong, the assistant head of Bukit Aman criminal investigation department’s anti-human trafficking unit, said the victims were taken into temporary custody under Section 44(1) of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants (Atipsom) Act 2007.

He said the 17, aged between 25 and 45, were rescued under Ops Pintas at 9.30pm.

The raid was carried out after police were tipped off on alleged forced labour against the victims, who were given jobs as domestic workers. Some of them were forced to work without pay, Soffian said.

“A preliminary investigation found that the victims worked between six months and two years for their employers, and some complained that they never received any salary,” he said.

Three men, aged between 31 and 40, who acted as employers and supervisors to send the maids to work were also arrested in the raid.

Soffian said they will be investigated under Section 12 of the Atipsom Act for trafficking in persons.