Immigration agents have arrested a woman who tried to bring to Malaysia eight undocumented Filipina workers disguised as tourists.

Immigration Commissioner Ricardo David Jr. yesterday said the woman and her victims were about to board a Zest Air flight to Kuala Lumpur last May 27 when they were intercepted by members of the bureau's travel control and enforcement unit at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 4.

RIO DE JANEIRO, May 20 2013 (IPS) - In contravention of international law, in Brazil trafficking in human beings remains invisible and unpunished, which encourages the practice of trafficking for sexual exploitation, forced labour, illegal adoption and the trade in human organs, according to experts.

Local laws punish drug trafficking more severely than human trafficking. The sale of drugs carries penalties of between five and 15 years, while trafficking of persons for sexual exploitation is punished with a maximum sentence of eight years, with work release allowed.

PRESIDENT Benigno Aquino is seriously concerned about the safety of Filipinos in Taiwan but the government is not ready to elevate the issue of harassment of Filipino workers to an international body.

"Of course, the President was very concerned about these reports. But he did make the cautionary note that these reports should be verified by us independently, and that if we do verify them at the soonest—at the juncture that we do verify these incidents, that we should immediately render assistance," deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte told Palace reporters yesterday.