PETALING JAYA: Five foreigners, including two members of the notorious Geng Shafik syndicate, were charged over their alleged roles in a migrant smuggling network operating in Selangor and Negri Sembilan.
Immigration Department director-general Datuk Zakaria Shaaban said those charged comprised three Indonesians and two Bangladeshis.
He said one of the Indonesian suspects was charged at the Seremban Sessions Court on Wednesday, while the other two were charged at the Klang Special Sessions Court for people trafficking offences on May 15.
“All the accused were among those detained during a special immigration operation conducted in Seremban, Negri Sembilan, and Rawang, Selangor, on May 7,” Zakaria said in a statement yesterday.
Zakaria said one accused was charged for his alleged role as a transporter, while the other two were charged for their alleged roles as caretakers of transit houses and for harbouring migrant workers.
The first accused faces imprisonment of up to five years, a fine of up to RM250,000, or both upon conviction, while the other two face imprisonment of up to 10 years, a fine, or both if convicted.
Zakaria said that the Seremban Sessions Court ordered the first case to be transferred to the Seremban High Court, while the case involving the other two would be heard at the Shah Alam High Court.
Bail was not granted to the accused, he added.
Zakaria also said that two Bangladeshi men linked to Geng Shafik were charged at the Klang Special Sessions Court for trafficking in persons offences on May 15.
He said the accused were among those detained during a raid on a house in Petaling Jaya, Selangor, which was believed to have been used as a holding and transit location for illegal immigrants on May 7.
“Based on the facts of the case, the two Bangladeshi men were believed to have acted as syndicate coordinators or facilitators, as well as caretakers of a transit house for the syndicate.
“Inspections at the premises 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 about two days earlier before being smuggled into Malaysia through routes in Kelantan, after which they were sent to the Klang Valley and several other destinations.
