Immigration raids: 64 illegals, four officers nabbed in Bintulu

KUALA LUMPUR: A total of 64 Indonesians, including the mastermind of a human smuggling syndicate along with four Immigration officers were detained following raids in Bintulu, Sarawak.

Immigration director-general Datuk Seri Khairul Dzaimee Daud said the raid was conducted at 9.45pm on Friday (Feb 17) after a three-month surveillance.

"We detained a 38-year-old Indonesian man, believed to be the syndicate's leader, following a raid on a house used as a transit home.

"We also detained 30 Indonesian nationals at the transit home and seized more than RM25,000 cash," he said in a statement on Sunday (Feb 19).

Further checks on two buses in Bintulu town led to the arrests of 33 other Indonesian nationals, he said.

"We also detained four Immigration officers for being in cahoots with the syndicate," he added.

The Indonesians detained were previously blacklisted from entering Malaysia, Khairul Dzaimee said.

"All of them had a flight ticket to Kuala Lumpur," he said.

The syndicate was arranging the entry of blacklisted foreigners with the aid of Immigration officers, he said.

"They arranged between 30 and 40 people for each entry.

"The Immigration officers would then issue a security stamp to ensure safe passage for the foreigners," he added.

Khairul Dzaimee said those with security stamps would then be brought to transit homes before being transported to the airports in Kuching, Miri and Bintulu.

"They would then travel to Peninsular Malaysia via flights," he said.

Initial investigations revealed that the syndicate has been operating for close to eight months, he said.

"Each foreigner who wanted to enter Malaysia had to pay them between RM5,000 and RM6,000.

"We believe they earned about RM80,000 in profits each month," he added.

Khairul Dzaimee said the department will not stop in hunting such syndicates.

"Stern action will be taken against those who has broken the law," he added.