A number of key leaders of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) were among several arrested by the police between August 2009 and March this year, Malaysian media reported.

Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein said, the arrest of the LTTE leaders was made known to Sri Lanka’s Defence, Public Security and Law and Order Secretary when they met at the recent Defence Services Asia (DSA) Exhibition in Kuala Lumpur.

Hishammuddin said the police had arrested 599 foreign nationals between 2008 and March this year for smuggling and trafficking in drugs.

He said the police also busted several human smuggling and trafficking syndicates involving 1,567 victims during the same period.