PASIR PUTEH: A local man suspected of being a ground handler was detained with 37 illegal immigrants from Myanmar, including a baby boy, during an operation by the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) along the banks of Sungai Kelantan near Kampung Cina, Kota Baru, early Tuesday (Aug 25) morning.
Kelantan MMEA director Maritime Captain Kamal Mohamad said the arrest of the 38 individuals was the biggest so far this year, following intelligence on illegal immigrant smuggling activities through unauthorised routes.
He said an MMEA patrol boat conducting Op Naga, Op Damai, Pelantar Merah and Op Tiris detected a speedboat moving without lights and behaving suspiciously in the Kuala Besar waters at 5.20am.
"However, the boat managed to escape by speeding into a narrow and shallow river route, while the darkness made it difficult for the patrol boat to approach the location,” he said in a press conference at the Kelantan MMEA headquarters in Tok Bali here.
Kamal said the Land Operations team was subsequently deployed to the banks of Sungai Kelantan to intercept the group’s movements before detaining the 38 individuals.
The 37 Myanmar nationals comprised 25 men, 11 women and a baby boy believed to be about six months old. The adults were aged between 15 and 41, while the local man was 40.
He added that checks found that seven of the Myanmar nationals had passports but failed to produce valid travel records for entry into Malaysia, while one did not have any identification documents.
Meanwhile, an initial urine screening of the local man tested positive for methamphetamine, and he is being investigated under the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act 2007 for suspected involvement in illegal immigrant smuggling activities.
Kamal said action under the relevant drug laws would also be taken if confirmed by the authorities, while the Myanmar nationals are being investigated under the Immigration Act 1959/63 for allegedly entering and remaining in Malaysia without valid documents and travel records.
He stressed that MMEA would continue to strengthen patrols and enforcement operations in Kelantan waters to curb cross-border criminal activities, including migrant smuggling, and urged the public to channel information on suspicious activities via the 999 emergency line or the Kelantan MMEA Headquarters Operations Centre at 09-778 0070. – Bernama
