GOF arrest two men for human smuggling, including an Indonesian

PONTIAN: The General Operations Force (GOF) have arrested two men - including an Indonesian national - for human smuggling at Sungai Penerok here.

GOF Fifth Battalion commanding officer Supt Dimin Awang said the suspects were arrested at about 4.30am on Sunday (March 21) after ferrying six Indonesian women into the country.

“The main suspect is a 39-year-old local male, who acted as the manager for the group, while the 40-year-old man is the skipper.

“The six women just landed in Sungai Penerok before being detained and all of them have been brought to the district police headquarters for further investigation, ” he said in a statement here on Monday (March 22).

He added that the GOF also confiscated a vehicle that the main suspect used to transport all of them.

Supt Dimin said all confiscated items, including mobile phones, were worth RM66,000 and the case was being investigated under Section 26A of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act (Atipsom) 2007, which provides jail of up to 15 years or fine, or both upon conviction.

In an unrelated case, police arrested two male suspects in their 30s for allegedly stealing electric cables at the Taman Kota Puteri industrial area in Johor Baru.

Seri Alam OCPD Supt Mohd Sohaimi Ishak said the arrests were made at about 3pm on Saturday (March 20), when a patrol unit saw the two suspects in a suspicious manner on a motorcycle along Jalan Cenderai 17 in Taman Megah Ria.

“The suspects tried to flee when approached but further inspection on both of them later found three loops of cables that have been cut off, a hammer, a wire cutter, a wrench, and a knife.

“We also confiscated a packet that contained drugs believed to be syabu from the suspects, ” he said, adding that the suspects were currently remanded until March 24.

Supt Mohd Sohaimi said the case was being investigated under Section 379 of the Penal Code for theft which carries a maximum of seven years imprisonment, fine or both and Section 12(3) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 which carries a five-year jail term if convicted.