Perlis police confirmed the discovery of 24 fully shrouded human skeletons from 18 graves, believed to be victims of human trafficking syndicates at Bukit Wang Burma in Wang Kelian.

Its chief, SAC Shafie Ismail said all the skeletons were sent to the Sultanah Bahiyah Hospital in Alor Setar at 7.30pm yesterday to be referred to pathologists.

Shafie, when contacted today, said the authorities found 20 graves but they only 18 had human skeletons.

"It is believed that heavy rain had eroded the graves which brought to the discovery of the skeletons yesterday evening," he added.

He said it was believed that this 20 graves were older than the those found in May and were located almost at the peak of a hill, but not far from the earlier find.

Shafie said the discovery was made by a team of 15 officers and 108 personnel of the Royal Malaysian Police's General Operation Force; Forensic Division, Criminal Investigation Department; Anti Smuggling Unit, Special Branch and investigation officers.

Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar, last night, confirmed the discovery of several more graves at the Perlis-Thailand border.

He said the graves were part of the original find.

In May, the security forces found 139 graves containing 106 skeletons of victims of human traffickings in Bukit Wang Burma.

The Kedah religious authorities, with the aid of the National Security Council, buried 99 of the remains found, at the Kampung Tualang Islamic Cemetary in Pokok Sena recently.