KEDAH IMMIGRATION BUSTS HUMAN TRAFFICKING SYNDICATE, TWO ARRESTED

SUNGAI PETANI, March 12 (Bernama) -- The Kedah Immigration Department (JIM) busted a human trafficking syndicate operated by two locals in a special operation here yesterday.

In the 7.10 pm raid at a transit house in Kuala Muda, 18 illegal immigrants from Myanmar of Rohingya ethnicity, aged between 12 and 40 years, were apprehended.

Kedah JIM Director Mohd Ridzzuan Mohd Zain said two local male suspects, believed to be the smuggling operation's masterminds, were also detained.

"During the raid, all the illegal immigrants were believed to have recently arrived from a neighbouring country by sea before being transported by land to the transit house.

"They were scheduled to be handed over to relatives in Malaysia after paying a specific fee imposed by the syndicate," he said in a statement today.

Mohd Ridzzuan added that authorities are currently investigating the exact number of foreigners smuggled by the syndicate and whether they have links to the recent mass landing of hundreds of Rohingya migrants in Langkawi.

After receiving public tip-offs and gathering intelligence over two weeks, authorities discovered that the syndicate was using both sea and land routes along the Malaysia-Thailand border to smuggle illegal immigrants into the country. 

All detained illegal immigrants will be investigated under the Immigration Act 1959/63 and the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act 2007 (ATIPSOM).

Meanwhile, the two local masterminds will be brought to Sungai Petani Court to obtain a remand order for further investigation.

-- BERNAMA