SHAH ALAM – A 22-month old toddler was among 38 Indonesian illegal immigrants detained in a raid on a budget hotel in Klang last Saturday.
Klang Utara district police chief Nurulhuda Mohd Salleh said the 12.30am raid was conducted following information gathered through an operation codenamed “Op Lejang”.
She said the operation had detected a group of Indonesian nationals who were staying at the hotel and behaving in a suspicious manner.
Among the foreigners detained was an Indonesian man in his 50s, who was believed to be mastermind of a migrant smuggling syndicate, she said in a statement today.
Nurulhuda said the suspect was responsible for collecting money from illegal immigrants for their temporary accommodation, and arranging a suitable date for them to return to their home country by boat.
“Initial investigations found that all the illegal immigrants, aged between one and their 50s, stayed in seven rooms which had been rented under the name of a local man.
“Further investigation found that the rooms were rented as temporary accommodation for all the illegal immigrants whose visas have expired before returning to their home country through a non-gazetted road,” she said.
Also detained were two local men, both in their 40s, believed to be “tekong darat” (locals harbouring illegal immigrants).
She said the syndicate was believed to have begun operations six months ago, with each immigrant being charged between RM1,500 and RM2,500. The case is being investigated under Section 26A of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act 2007. – Bernama, December 18, 2020
