Malaysian police arrest 49, including three Indonesian skippers, for alleged migrant smuggling off Sabak Bernam, charging RM1,500 to RM2,000 per person.
KUALA LUMPUR: Police detained 49 individuals in a special operation targeting migrant smuggling in the waters off Sabak Bernam, Selangor.
The Royal Malaysia Police operation, codenamed ‘Op Pintas’, was conducted early this morning about three nautical miles from shore.
Bukit Aman Criminal Investigation Department director Datuk M. Kumar said three Indonesian men, believed to be the smugglers, were among those arrested.
The remaining 46 individuals were Indonesian migrants, comprising 26 men and 20 women.
“Preliminary investigations found that all the migrants were on their way to Tanjung Balai, Indonesia, from the shores of Sabak Bernam using a ‘Pom-Pom’ type boat,” Kumar stated.
He added that the fee charged for each migrant was around RM1,500 to RM2,000 per person, paid in cash to the transporter.
All those arrested were taken to the Sabak Bernam district police headquarters for further investigation.
They are being probed under Section 26A of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act 2007 and Section 6(1)(c) of the Immigration Act 1959/63.
The operation was conducted by the CID D3 Division in collaboration with several other police teams.
