KUALA LUMPUR: A total of 29 Myanmar nationals, including five agents, were detained by Bukit Aman’s Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in connection with the smuggling of migrants around the Klang Valley.
The raids were conducted by the CID Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants (Atipsom) division (D3) on four apartment units in Cheras and Kajang, believed to have been used as transit locations, just after 10.30pm on Thursday (Aug 22).
CID D3 principal assistant director Senior Asst Comm Soffian Santong said the raids were conducted based on information and intelligence gathering, and focussed on detaining foreigners who entered the country illegally.
“Investigations showed that 24 Myanmar migrants, consisting of 22 men and two women aged between 18 and 36, were placed at the apartment units (for) two weeks.
“We believe they were smuggled into the country through illegal land routes from the east coast of the peninsula.
“They also paid between RM2,000 and RM3,000 to agents, who are also Myanmar nationals,” he said here on Friday (Aug 23).
SAC Soffian said police are still identifying the purpose and real destination of the migrants.
“Our investigations also revealed that the five agents detained have been smuggling migrants into the country for about three months.
“We are also investigating the total number of migrants tjey have smuggled into the country (in this period) as well as their current locations,” he added.
All those detained were brought to the Kajang and Cheras district police headquarters for further action.
“The five agents aged between 27 and 30 are being investigated under Section 26A of the Atipsom Act 2007 while the 24 Myanmar migrants are being investigated under Section 6(1)(c) of the Immigration Act 1959/63,” he added.
