Kuala lumpur: The Immigration Department successfully thwarted a migrant-smuggling attempt under Op Kutip after detaining a man suspected of serving as a transporter and an undocumented migrant in the Kuala Perlis area at around 3 am today.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Perlis Immigration director Mohammad A'sim Md Ali stated that the operation was the result of intelligence gathering and continuous monitoring by the department's Intelligence Division and Enforcement Division. Inspections and a subsequent raid at the location resulted in the detention of a 53-year-old local man and a 35-year-old Myanmar national, who lacked valid travel documents or a pass to stay in Malaysia.

'Preliminary investigations found that the activity is believed to involve the use of secluded routes near the waters to move illegal immigrants,' Mohammad A'sim noted in a statement. The local man is being investigated under Section 26A of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act 2007 [Act 670], while the Myanmar national faces detention under Section 6(1)(c) of the Immigration Act 1959/63 [Act 155].

During the operation, the Immigration Department seized a sedan believed to be used in the smuggling activity, a mobile phone, and several related documents.