ALOR SETAR, Feb 20 — A Myanmar man holding a United Nations High Commissioner For Refugees (UNHCR) card was arrested with 32 other Myanmar nationals during raids on two locations in Sungai Petani yesterday.

Kedah Immigration director Mohd Ridzzuan Mohd Zain said they also arrested the man’s wife, 55, and the couple’s 14-month-old daughter in the operation at 10.25pm yesterday.

He said the 53-year-old with the UNHCR card is suspected to be the mastermind behind the supply of illegal foreign workers to areas in the north of the peninsula and is believed to have been active since the middle of last year.

"In the first raid at Taman Ria Jaya, a man who is believed to be the mastermind of a syndicate was arrested with five Myanmar women and a girl, who are believed to not possess valid passes or permits to stay in this country.

"Upon interrogating the man, a second raid was conducted on a premises in Taman Batik where 26 foreigners, comprising 10 men and 16 women, were detained for not having valid passes or permits,” he told a media conference here today.

Mohd Ridzzuan said the main suspect is believed to have lived in Malaysia for the past 35 years and is fluent in Malay.

He said they did not find any elements of abuse despite the iron gates at the premises being locked from the outside and the keys held by the man.

"He did this to prevent the others from getting out and roaming around or running away. He also admitted to providing two meals a day for those inside the premises,” he said.

He said those detained have been remanded for 14 days at the Belantik Immigration Depot for investigations under the Immigration Act 1959/63 and the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act (Atipsom) 2007.

"We will also summon the owners of the premises for further investigation under Section 55E (1) of the Immigration Act 1959/63 for allowing illegal immigrants to enter or stay in their premises,” he said. — Bernama