In Kelantan, the Immigration Department successfully foiled a people smuggling attempt and detained 10 undocumented foreigners, including two Rohingya men.
The operation was carried out by the department’s special tactical team led by director-general Datuk Ruslin Jusoh on Feb 24 around Kota Baru.
Ruslin stated, “Our investigation led us to a vehicle, which stopped at a petrol station near Wakaf Che Yeh. When authorities approached, the suspect tried to flee but was intercepted.”
Among those detained was a Rohingya man believed to be the mastermind of the human smuggling syndicate, along with four Myanmar nationals aged between 19 and 21.
It was discovered that the suspects had halted at a petrol station while waiting for an express bus to transport the undocumented foreigners to Kuala Lumpur.
Further investigations led the authorities to a house where an air rifle was seized, and another house in Pengkalan Kubor, Kota Baru, where another Rohingya man believed to be the mastermind’s associate was held, along with four male Myanmar nationals aged between 16 and 27.
Ruslin mentioned that the syndicate’s strategy involved smuggling undocumented Myanmar nationals through illegal passages at night, housing them at a transit house before sending them to Kuala Lumpur using express buses.
He added, “We suspect the syndicate has been active for six months and charged each undocumented foreigner between RM500 and RM1,000.”
The detained individuals were taken to the Kelantan Immigration office for further investigation, and two vehicles used by the syndicate were also confiscated.
Ruslin affirmed, “We will continue to conduct similar operations in the future to combat such activities.”
