SHAH ALAM, Oct 9 — Police arrested 53 foreign nationals, including eight women who were attempting to flee Malaysia illegally, near Olak Lempit, Banting near here at 6.45pm on October 6.

Kuala Langat district police chief Supt Ahmad Ridhwan Mohd Nor@Saleh said all the suspects were arrested by the 4th Battalion of Semenyih’s General Operations Force (GOF) following the arrest of three foreign male nationals, believed to be skippers, in a vehicle near the residential area on the same day.

"After interrogating these three suspects (from the vehicle), police conducted a raid on a rented house and found a group of foreigners comprising 45 men and eight women, who failed to produce valid personal travel documents.

"All these suspects, who admitted they were planning to exit the country through a sea route, were taken to the Banting police station for further investigations,” he said.

Ahmad Ridhwan also said his team seized a vehicle and two handphones from the suspects whose ages ranged from 17 to 56.

He added that all the suspects would be remanded for 14 days whereas the three skippers would be remanded for 28 days beginning from the date of arrest, with the case being investigated under Section 26A of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants (ATIPSOM) Act 2007. — Bernama