KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 28 — An Australian woman was among four wives and three children of a board member of Global Ikhwan Service and Business Holdings (GISBH) taken into police custody today for investigations related to child exploitation and trafficking.

Six of them were women and one a man, with their ages between 18 and 55, Harian Metro reported today.

"All of them, including the four wives of the board member, were arrested by the police around Rawang last night.

"They are remanded for seven days starting today until October 4,” lawyer Rosli Kamaruddin, was quoted by the Malay daily as telling reporters at the Shah Alam Court Complex this afternoon.

Rosli, who has been representing a number of the GISBH detainees, said the remand order was granted to the police by Deputy Registrar Muhammad Firdaus Abdul Rashid at the Magistrate’s Court this morning.

The case is being investigated under Section 31(a) of the Child Act 2001 and the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act 2022.

Harian Metro reported that all seven detainees were taken to the courthouse about 9.30am from the Criminal Investigation Department (JSJ) and will be held at the Central Lockup of the Shah Alam District Police Headquarters while under remand.

The newspaper also reported that the same court extended the remand order for eight men and two women connected to GISBH aged between 22 and 53 years.

Their remand is between four to seven days.

Another lawyer Shalehuddin Salam was quoted as saying that all 10 individuals had previously been remanded for a week, which expired today.

"Their remand has been extended until October 5 to assist in the investigation,” he was quoted as saying, adding that the investigation is also being conducted under the Child Act 2001 and the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act 2022.

All 10 of the detainees were seen dressed in orange detention attire when they arrived under heavy guard in a police truck at the courthouse from the JSJ at around 9.35am and will be held at the USJ 8 Police Station lockup in Subang Jaya.

News reports cited Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Razarudin Husain saying recently that 10 more reports from people claiming to forced labour victims under GISBH had been received

Media reports previously stated that the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) received 10 recent reports from individuals who claimed to be victims of forced labor under GISBH from 2013 in Selangor, Sarawak, and Kedah.

These victims were said to be in their teens to 20s, according to Harian Metro.