ISKANDAR PUTERI, Oct 12 — The Immigration Department has crippled an undocumented migrant smuggling syndicate, with the arrest of two of its officers today, during a special operation in several locations in Johor here.
The syndicate has been active at the country’s entry and exit points in Larkin Sentral, Johor Baru and the Sultan Abu Bakar Complex (KSAB).
Immigration Department director-general Datuk Seri Khairul Dzaimee Daud said the syndicate had previously been active in smuggling in undocumented migrants who had been blacklisted and were barred from re-entering the country.
“A total of 25 undocumented Indonesian migrants, who entered the country via Singapore, were arrested in an operation carried out by officers from the Putrajaya Immigration Department here at 1.30pm.
“The undocumented migrants involved 13 men and 12 women. The team also arrested two local men, aged 34 and 49.
“In addition, two Immigration Department officers, aged 20 and 27, who are on duty at KSAB in the afternoon were arrested,” said Khairul Dzaimee in a press conference held at KSAB here today.
Khairul Dzaimee said the syndicate’s modus operandi involved bringing in the undocumented migrants through the Malaysia-Singapore Second Link (Linkedua) crossing at KSAB.
He said the two Immigration Department officers involved would release them without any checks before taking them to the Larkin Sentral transportation terminal in Johor Baru by bus.
“Upon their arrival, there is a special room prepared by the syndicate to give fake stamps to the undocumented migrant’s passports in order to cover their tracks from the authorities.
“The undocumented migrants will then travel by bus to the Southern Integrated Terminal (TBS) in Kuala Lumpur,” he explained.
Khairul Dzaimee said investigations revealed that the syndicate has been active since Malaysia’s international borders were opened in April last year.
He said the syndicate targets undocumented migrants who have been blacklisted from entering the country by the Immigration Department.
“The syndicate charges between RM5,000 and RM8,000 per person and it is estimated that they have brought in at least 600 undocumented migrants since last year, making a profit of more than RM2.5 million since starting their operations.
“The undocumented migrants were blacklisted due to several offences, such as entering through unauthorised routes, overstaying and also running a business without a license,” said Khairul Dzaimee.
All 25 undocumented migrants have been detained by the department and will be investigated under Section 36 of the Immigration Act 1959/63, while the two local men will be investigated under Section 26A of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrant Act 2007.
