KUALA LUMPUR: A migrant-smuggling syndicate has been crippled with the arrests of two locals and seven Indonesians, aged 26 to 60, in Kajang.
The special operation was conducted at about 3.45pm on Friday (Aug 29) by the Immigration Department's Special Intelligence and Operations division, supported by the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants (ATIPSOM) and Anti-Money Laundering (AMLA) units.
Immigration director-general Datuk Zakaria Shaaban said among those detained were a local husband-and-wife pair believed to be transporters, as well as three Indonesian men suspected to be caretakers of the premises.
"Another four Indonesians - two men and two women - were also nabbed.
"Initial checks revealed that two of the Indonesians had overstayed, while five others had no valid travel documents or permits to remain in Malaysia.
"We also seized four Indonesian passports, seven mobile phones, RM1,455 in cash believed to be proceeds from the syndicate, and a vehicle allegedly used in their operations," he said in a statement on Sunday (Aug 31).
Investigations showed that the group targeted Indonesians in the Klang Valley who had either overstayed or were undocumented, offering to smuggle them home under the guise of being “Grab drivers” to evade detection, he said.
"Fees ranged from RM1,500 to RM2,000 per person, with the syndicate believed to have been active for the past two months.
All suspects have been taken to the Immigration headquarters in Putrajaya for further action.
