In continued efforts to curb the number of illegal migrants entering into the country, the Malaysian Immigration Department has announced that they have managed to shut down a migrant trafficking ring in Bintulu, Sarawak over last week.
According to the statement released over their social media pages, the operation was held on February 17th, 2023 at 9.45pm, involving a team of officers from the Intelligence and Special Operations Division of the Putrajaya Immigration Department, as well as members from the Sarawak Immigration Department.
Immigration Department shuts down illegal migrant trafficking operation
Dubbed ‘Ops Kenyalang’, the raid was carried out in a residential property after a three month period of observation and intelligence reconnaissance. A 38-year-old Indonesian man who is believed to be the ringleader of the syndicate was successfully detained. At the time of his arrest, he was found to be managing the illegal migrants in the home.
Additionally, 63 Indonesian nationals consisting of 37 men and 26 women between the ages of 22 to 57 were also arrested. Cash amounting to RM25,000 and 3 million rupiah was also confiscated during the raid operation. Checks conducted by the authorities have determined that those detained were previously blacklisted by the Immigration Department from entering Malaysia, and were all found to be in possession of flight tickets to Kuala Lumpur.
Meanwhile, 33 more illegal migrants were rounded up during checks that were conducted on-board buses throughout greater Bintulu. Two buses were flagged after it was suspected based on prior intel that they were trafficking illegal migrants. Four other immigration officers who are suspected of being involved in the operation were also hauled in.
4 officers from Immigration Department also involved
It is believed that the modus operandi of the syndicate was operated by moving blacklisted migrant workers with help from immigration officers. Around 30 to 40 migrants will be arranged for entry into Malaysia per batch. The immigration officers will then issue a security stamp on the migrant’s passport to ensure that they reach their intended destination safely.
Migrants with passports bearing the security stamp will then be brought to transit homes prepared by the syndicate before being transported to airports such as the Kuching International Airport or Miri International Airport, and be flown into the Peninsula.
Information on the syndicate indicates that they have been operating for eight months since international borders in Malaysia have reopened. Migrants who are looking for safe passage by the syndicate will have to fork out anywhere between RM5,000 to RM6,000, with the organisation raking in an estimated profit of about RM80,000 monthly.
All illegal migrants involved in the operation were detained under the Immigration Act 1959/63 for illegal entry into Malaysia. On the other hand, the four immigration department officers who assisted the syndicate were detained under Section 26A of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act 2007.
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