PUTRAJAYA, April 10 — The Immigration Department arrested 27 individuals, aged 13 to 42, in a special anti-human trafficking operation around Kota Bharu on April 8.
Its director-general, Datuk Zakaria Shaaban said the operation first arrested two local men, which led to a raid at a residential premises believed to be used as a safehouse and arrested 25 others, including the mastermind of the human trafficking operations.
“Investigations revealed that the mastermind had been previously arrested but has continued to carry on conducting human trafficking activities,” he said in a statement today.
The 22 others arrested were two other local men, believed to be transporters, and 22 foreigners – eight Myanmar men and nine Myanmar women, three Bangladeshi men and two male Indian nationals.
The department also seized four Myanmar passports, three Bangladesh passports, two Indian passports, an assortment of mobile phones, a Honda CRV, a Mitsubishi Triton, a Toyota Rush, and a Perodua Alza, he said, adding that those detained have been taken to the Kelantan Immigration Office for investigation and further action.
The five local men are suspected of committing offences under Section 26A of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants (ATIPSOM) Act 2007, while the 22 foreigners are being investigated under Section 6(1)© of the Immigration Act 1959/63. — Bernama
