(CNN)Mass graves of refugees caught up in the human-trafficking trade have been found in northern Malaysia near the border with Thailand, authorities said Sunday.
The grisly discovery comes amid a crisis among Southeast Asian nations over thousands of migrants who are attempting perilous journeys in the region.
Malaysian Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the trafficking camps were believed to have been in operation for at least five years and were only abandoned when authorities arrived on the scene, according to Bernama, the Malaysian state news agency.
He said officials were still counting the number of bodies in the graves, which were found near 17 tents in the Padang Besar area of Perlis state.
"With the cooperation of Thailand, we will find more and more," Zahid told reporters.