KUALA LUMPUR – The Immigration Department busted a human smuggling syndicate and arrested six Rohingya individuals – two of whom are suspected to be “transporters” – in a special operation around Kota Bharu, Kelantan yesterday.
Immigration Department Director-General Datuk Ruslin Jusoh said that the operation began at 7.57am and involved a team of officers of various ranks from the special tactical unit of the intelligence and special operations division from its headquarters in Putrajaya, in collaboration with the Kelantan Immigration Department.
He said that based on public complaints and the results of intelligence conducted over three weeks, the unit was mobilised and encountered a Proton Wira vehicle driven suspiciously by a suspect.
“The suspect then accelerated the vehicle upon realising the presence of the operation team but was successfully intercepted and detained at the Kota Bharu Express Bus Terminal, Kelantan.
“Upon inspection, the operation team arrested two Rohingya men suspected to be ‘transporters’ and ‘assistants’, along with two others who we believe would be taken to Kuala Lumpur.”
“In the initial investigation, the operation team inspected residential premises around Kota Bharu and arrested two more Rohingya men who were also suspected to be heading to KL.
“The total number of individuals arrested is six, aged between 24 and 35 years,” he said in a statement today.
Ruslin said that initial checks revealed that four of them possessed United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) cards while the other two did not have any travel documents or valid passes to be in the country.
He added that the operation team seized two UNHCR documents suspected to be fake, cash amounting to RM2,000 and a Proton Wira vehicle believed to be used for transporting illegal immigrants.
“The modus operandi of the syndicate involves smuggling Rohingya undocumented migrants into the country through illegal routes at the border and placing them in transit houses before transporting them to Kuala Lumpur using express buses, accompanied by someone from the capital.
“Newly arrived Rohingya migrants are given suspected fake UNHCR documents to deceive the authorities.
“The syndicate charges RM500 for transportation to Kuala Lumpur for each illegal immigrant and RM100 for transportation around Kota Bharu, Kelantan. This syndicate has been operating for one year,” he said.
He added that three of them were detained for suspected offences under Section 26A of the Anti Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act (ATIPSOM) 2007.
Meanwhile, three others were detained for suspected offences under Section 6 (3) of the Immigration Act 1959/63 and are being held at the Tanah Merah Immigration Detention Depot, Kelantan. – June 3, 2024