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THE Immigration Department successfully dismantled a migrant smuggling syndicate during a targeted operation in Ampang, Selangor, on March 19, 2025. The operation was carried out following a public tip-off and intelligence gathered by authorities.
Immigration Director-General Datuk Zakaria Shaaban revealed that the operations team was dispatched to a location in Ampang, where they intercepted a Perodua Aruz being used to transport illegal immigrants. Upon inspection, authorities found that the driver, an Indonesian woman, was acting as a transporter, while two Indonesian men, who had recently arrived in Malaysia, were passengers in the vehicle.
"Furthermore, four Indonesian men and a woman were found in the parking area. They admitted to boarding the same vehicle, and it was revealed that they were about to be deported back to Indonesia via an ungazetted entry point," Zakaria explained in a statement released today.
The operation uncovered that the syndicate facilitated the entry and repatriation of illegal immigrants in exchange for a fee of up to RM4,500 per person. These transporters, all Indonesian nationals, were primarily responsible for smuggling migrants from areas in Johor and Negeri Sembilan.
In addition to the interception, authorities also raided premises believed to be used as shelters and transit points for the illegal immigrants. Among the findings was a frail woman, suspected to be a victim of exploitation, who had been handed over by her employer to the illegal agents for repatriation.
"During the inspection, we also found several copies of passports belonging to other individuals in the illegal agent’s room," added Zakaria.
The operation, which began at 4:52 pm, also focused on identifying potential human trafficking victims within vulnerable groups, in line with the National Guideline on Human Trafficking Indicators (NGHTI) 2.0. Following the raid, the department has initiated an investigation into potential violations under the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants (ATIPSOM) Act 2007 (Act 670).
Zakaria praised the coordinated efforts of the team in disrupting the syndicate’s operations and pledged continued vigilance in tackling human trafficking and migrant smuggling activities across the country. – March 21, 2025