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THE Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) have uncovered a human trafficking syndicate leveraging multiple social media platforms to offer illegal entry and exit services for migrants, according to Bukit Aman’s Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants (Atipsom) Division.
Head of Atipsom’s D3 Division under the Criminal Investigation Department (JSJ Senior Assistant Commissioner Soffian Santong said the unit launched a special operation in February and March targeting syndicates using social media as their primary tool.
“Six separate raids were conducted across the Klang Valley,” he told Sinar Harian.
“As a result, 146 Indonesian nationals were detained, along with 24 individuals believed to be involved in smuggling operations, including transit house guards, recruiters, land and sea smugglers, and transporters,” he said.
The syndicate’s modus operandi involved posting advertisements on social media due to the platforms’ wide reach and the ease of anonymity they provide.
“These syndicates operated transit houses to temporarily shelter migrants before moving them in or out of Malaysia via unregulated routes,” Soffian said.
“Land-based smugglers, or transporters, were responsible for moving the migrants from the transit houses to the shoreline,” he added, noting that coastal areas in Selangor were among the preferred smuggling routes.
The syndicate charged between RM1,300 and RM2,500 per person for the illegal crossings.
Soffian said PDRM is working with the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) to trace the social media account holders behind these illegal activities.
He issued a stern warning: “There will be zero tolerance towards any individual or group involved in migrant smuggling. The safety of our nation and the rule of law must be upheld.”
Investigations are being carried out under Section 26A of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act 2007 (Act 670).
Recently, several videos went viral on social media, showing individuals openly advertising illegal sea routes for foreign nationals seeking to enter or exit Malaysia. - June 16, 2025
