KUALA LUMPUR: Twenty-nine Indonesians, including three suspected members of a migrant smuggling syndicate, have been detained in an operation in Kajang.
Immigration director-general Datuk Zakaria Shaaban said the operation was conducted at about 6pm on Monday (Nov 11).
"Based on surveillance for about two weeks, the raiding team stopped a car at a house used as a transit home for smuggled migrants.
"We detained a 42-year-old Indonesian man who worked as a transporter for the syndicate.
"We also detained two syndicate members aged 20 and 41 following checks at the house," he said in a statement on Wednesday (Nov 13).
A total of 21 other Indonesians aged between 21 and 50 were also detained at the transit home, he said.
"Thirteen of those detained had overstayed while the others did not have any valid travel documents or visit passes.
"We also seized 14 Indonesian passports, RM13,430 cash and a car used to transport undocumented migrants," he said.
Zakaria said the syndicate would transport Indonesians in and out of Malaysia using "lorong tikus" (secret routes).
"They would be placed at a transit home before being taken to certain locations.
"Each migrant is charged between RM1,500 and RM2,500 by the syndicate to either bring them into or out of the country," he said.
Investigations showed the syndicate has been operating for about six months, he added.
"All those detained were brought to the Bukit Jalil Immigration Depot.
"We will investigate further to uncover remnants of the syndicate," he said.
