PENGERANG: Police have busted a human trafficking syndicate believed to have been operating for the past two months, with the arrest of 13 Indonesians on Wednesday (May 13).
Kota Tinggi OCPD Supt Yusof Othman said the suspects were detained while hiding in bushes near Tanjung Balau beach in Bandar Penawar at about 6.45pm.
He said police spotted a suspicious car entering the bushes and moved in to inspect the vehicle.
“The driver sped off when he saw police approaching,” he said in a statement.
Supt Yusof said police managed to intercept the car and arrested the driver, along with an undocumented migrant who was in the vehicle.
He said the migrant was believed to have been waiting for his turn to leave the country through an illegal route.
“Following the arrest of the two men, police found 10 other undocumented Indonesian migrants hiding in the area.
“They were also believed to be waiting for their turn to leave the country, handled by two caretakers of the transit house,” he said.
Supt Yusof said the 13 suspects, comprising 10 men and three women aged between 18 and 54, were taken to the Kota Tinggi district police headquarters for further investigation.
He said the case is being investigated under the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act 2007.
