KUALA LUMPUR: A 24-year-old agent of a migrant smuggling syndicate tried in vain to use RM50,000 to bribe a Malaysian border patrol to escape arrest, along with three accomplices apprehended for the smuggling of illegal immigrants.
The attempt backfired when the bribe was rejected by the police officers on duty in Ops Taring Wawasan Kelantan. The operation was conducted by a team from the Southeast Brigade and the 9th Battalion of the General Operations Force (GOF8) in Kota Baru, Kelantan on Saturday (Dec 7).
Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Razarudin Husain (pic) said that the border operation resulted in the arrest of three men, aged between 27 and 32 years old, suspected of being the masterminds.
Their apprehension came after three cars were spotted driving in a suspicious manner at the edge of a thicket along Jalan Sri Cemerlang in Kota Baru at about 6.30am Saturday.
He also said that 16 illegal immigrants from Myanmar, comprising 11 men, four women and a child, were also detained during the operation.
"The questioning of the three men led to the arrest of the syndicate agent near the Sultan Ismail Petra Airport. En route to the police station, the agent pleaded for release for himself and his three local henchmen, and attempted to hand over RM50,000 in cash to the operations officer.
"He was sternly warned against this," he added when contacted.
Razarudin mentioned that the agent's persistence with the bribe resulted in his arrest under the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009.
The police also confiscated mobile phones, vehicles and RM50,000 cash during the operation.
"All the suspects were taken to the Kota Baru police headquarters for investigations under Section 26J of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants (ATIPSOM) Act 2007 and Section 6(1)(c) of the Immigration Act 1959/63," he said. – Bernama
