October 19, 2022
PETALING JAYA – A human trafficking syndicate believed to be smuggling illegal immigrants from Thailand has been crippled by the Immigration Department with the arrest of a Cambodian man.
Immigration Department director-general Datuk Seri Khairul Dzaimee Daud said the 47-year-old man was arrested while bringing five Myanmar nationals to Kuala Lumpur.
“They were detained following a special operation that was conducted at around 7pm on Sunday at the Shah Alam Bus Terminal.
“Our personnel from the Intelligence and Special Operations Division received information that an agent was bringing in five illegal immigrants.
“The three women and two men, aged between 18 and 44, were believed to have entered Malaysia from Thailand through a smugglers’ trail,” he said in a statement yesterday.
Khairul added that the six individuals were detained as soon as they came out of the bus terminal.
“Our checks showed that the Myanmar nationals did not have any documents and that they entered the country on Saturday through a non-gazetted road.
“The Cambodian man entered the country in July this year using a social visit pass,” he said, adding that the syndicate was believed to have started operations as soon as the borders reopened.
He also said checks revealed that an agent across the border would charge each illegal immigrant between RM5,000 and RM6,000 to make arrangements to send them across the border.
“The agent in Malaysia would then be paid RM300 to RM500 to smuggle them across the border.
“The six have been sent to the Immigration Detention Depot in Putrajaya while we investigate the case under the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act and Immigration Act,” he said.