Selangor: General Operations Force (GOF) Central Brigade dismantled an illegal immigrant smuggling syndicate, with the arrest of 18 individuals, following a series of raids conducted in Selangor and Melaka recently. Central Brigade commander SAC Hakemal Hawari said the raids conducted on Oct 10 and 11 were based on intelligence gathered and a special operation launched following the July 28 incident, in which a vehicle believed to be transporting undocumented migrants rammed through a police roadblock in Pulau Carey.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, a special team was formed to gather information and conduct comprehensive surveillance after the incident. As a result, on Oct 10, the GOF conducted five raids in Selangor and one in Melaka. Hakemal stated that the first arrest occurred at 3 am on Jalan Pulau Carey when GOF personnel detained a foreign man driving a Toyota Vios without valid travel documents, believed to be acting as a transporter.
The arrest led to subsequent operations that resulted in the detention of several more suspects, including at the Teluk Panglima Garang Toll Plaza, Kampung Melayu Nagsyabandiah in Semenyih, Kuala Langat, Rawang, and the southbound Kampung Bemban rest and service area. Hakemal reported that the operation led to the arrest of 18 individuals in their 30s, comprising 17 Indonesians and one local. Five of the suspects detained were identified as skippers, agents, and transporters, while the rest were illegal immigrants attempting to be smuggled in.
The syndicate is believed to have operated in groups, earning between RM1,500 and RM2,500 for each undocumented migrant smuggled in or out of the country using illegal routes along the Selangor coastline. The group operated dynamically by regularly changing landing spots to evade detection by authorities, with common landing areas including Pulau Carey, Morib, and Kelanang.
Hakemal said the case is being investigated under the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act 2007 (ATIPSOM) for the five main suspects, while the remaining 13 are being investigated under the Immigration Act 1959/63. All suspects are currently remanded for 28 days under ATIPSOM and 12 days under the Immigration Act for further investigation.
He also urged the public, especially residents in Selangor's coastal areas, to share any information on migrant smuggling activities with the police to help curb the crime.