PETALING JAYA: Two members of the Geng Shafik migrant smuggling syndicate are among five foreigners charged under the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants (Atipsom) Act 2007.
Immigration Department director-general Datuk Zakaria Shaaban said the accused comprised three Indonesians and two Bangladeshis.
One of the Indonesian suspects was charged at the Seremban Sessions Court on Wednesday (May 29), while the other two were charged at the Klang Anti-Trafficking in Persons Special Sessions Court on May 15.
"All the accused were among those detained during a special operation we conducted around Seremban and Rawang on May 7.
"The prosecution under Atipsom involves the roles of the accused as transporters and caretakers of transit houses believed to be part of a migrant smuggling syndicate network," he said in a statement on Friday (May 22).
Zakaria said one accused, who allegedly acted as a transporter, was charged under Section 26J of Atipsom, which carries a jail term of up to five years, a fine of up to RM250,000, or both, upon conviction.
"The other two accused, who acted as caretakers of transit houses, were charged under Section 26H of the same Act for concealing or harbouring smuggled migrants.
"If convicted, they can face imprisonment of up to 10 years, a fine, or both," he said.
He added that the Seremban court ordered the case to be transferred to the High Court there.
"No bail was granted and the accused remain in prison pending mention of the case at the High Court.
"For the other two accused charged at the Klang special court, the case will also be transferred to the Shah Alam High Court.
"No bail was granted and both accused were ordered to remain in prison pending mention of the case at the High Court," he said.
Zakaria said two Bangladeshi men linked to Geng Shafik were also charged at the Klang special court on May 15.
He said they were among those detained in a May 7 raid on a house here believed to have been used as a holding and transit location for undocumented migrants.
"Based on the facts of the case, the two Bangladeshi men are believed to have acted as syndicate coordinators or facilitators, as well as caretakers of a transit house for the Geng Shafik syndicate.
"Inspections at the scene led to the detention of nine Bangladeshi nationals believed to have been smuggled into Malaysia," he said.
Zakaria said initial investigations found that the migrants had entered a neighbouring country two days earlier before being smuggled into Malaysia through routes in Kelantan, and later sent to the Klang Valley and other destinations.
The two accused were charged under Section 26H of Atipsom, read together with Section 34 of the Penal Code for joint criminal liability, for allegedly harbouring nine smuggled migrants at a residential premises in Petaling Jaya.
"If convicted, they can face imprisonment of up to 10 years, a fine, or both.
"The court also ordered the case to be transferred to the Shah Alam High Court, where no bail was allowed, and both accused were ordered to remain in prison until the next mention date," he said.
