THE Malaysian Immigration Department has crippled a migrant smuggling syndicate known as the ‘Iqbal’ network following a targeted raid on a remote premises used as a migrant holding house, an operation believed to have generated total profits of up to RM1.5 million.
Immigration director-general Datuk Zakaria Shaaban said the raid was carried out by officers from the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Division and the Anti-Money Laundering Criminal Investigation Division at Immigration headquarters in Putrajaya, in collaboration with the Kelantan Immigration Enforcement Division.
He said the operation focused on a premises that functioned as a transit shelter for migrants who had entered the country through illegal routes.
“The premises was located in a secluded village area that was difficult to detect, intended to evade the attention of enforcement authorities and used as a transit base to house migrants who had recently been smuggled into the country.
“The raid resulted in the arrest of 12 Bangladeshi nationals comprising 11 men and one woman aged between 18 and 54,” he said in a statement today.
Zakaria said a 27-year-old Rohingya man from Myanmar was also arrested and is believed to have acted as the caretaker of the holding house.
“Preliminary investigations found that all the migrants entered the country about three days ago via un-gazetted land routes, commonly known as ‘rat trails’, along the Malaysia–Thailand border.
“They were placed at the premises while waiting for the balance of their entry fees to be settled before being sent on to their next destinations.
“JIM is now actively tracking down the local owner of the premises, who is believed to have colluded with the syndicate by renting out and allowing the property to be used as a transit centre for migrant smuggling activities,” he said.
Zakaria said the individual would be investigated under the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act 2007 (Act 670).
“Further intelligence revealed that the ‘Iqbal’ syndicate has been actively operating since early 2024 and maintains a network of coordinating agents in the migrants’ countries of origin. The main mastermind is a Bangladeshi national known as ‘Iqbal’, who is believed to be operating from Thailand.
“The syndicate charged between RM10,000 and RM15,000 per individual. The total profits gained from these illegal activities are estimated to have reached RM1.5 million,” he said.
Zakaria said the operation also applied victim identification measures among vulnerable groups based on the National Guideline on Human Trafficking Indicators (NGHTI) 2.0.
“JIM has initiated further investigations to examine offences under the ATIPSOM Act 2007 (Act 670).
“JIM stresses its continued commitment to combating all forms of migrant smuggling and human trafficking.
“Firm and uncompromising legal action will be taken against any individual, syndicate, employer or property owner who employs, shelters or conspires with undocumented migrants,” he said. - January 18, 2026
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