Two alleged ringleaders of a human trafficking syndicate were apprehended in Pontian, which is approximately 50km away from Johor Baru. Johor Immigration director Baharuddin Tahir stated that the suspects were detained at 11:45pm on Thursday (Nov 9).
According to Baharuddin, the suspects were seized in a residence that was being utilized as a stopover for illegal immigrants from Indonesia, who were trying to exit the country using backdoor routes, an unofficial way to leave a place without being detected.
Baharuddin explained that the Immigration Department, in collaboration with the Pontian police district headquarters, had been observing the activities at the house for a period of two weeks.
The two suspects, an Indonesian woman with temporary resident status and an Indonesian man with permanent resident status, were apparently acting as transporters to help illegal immigrants who wished to leave Malaysia.
He disclosed that these illegal immigrants had been previously barred from entering Malaysia by the authorities. The suspects would charge the victims between RM2,500 and RM3,500 to aid them in leaving Malaysia and returning to Indonesia through the west coast of Johor.
Baharuddin revealed that 16 Indonesian illegal immigrants (one woman and 15 men) had been detained in an operation named Ops Serkap and they would ultimately be repatriated to their home country.
He added that the victims had violated Section 6(1)(c), Section 15(1)(c), and Section 56(1)(1) of the Immigration Act 1959/63 by attempting to leave the country using these uncharted routes.
Investigators also confiscated two private vehicles that had been used to transport the illegal immigrants to the transit house while they were awaiting their departure out of the country under Section 49A of the Immigration Act 1959/63.
As a result, the two suspects are currently in custody under Section 6(1)(c) and Section 56(1)(d) of the Immigration Act 1959/63.
