KUALA LUMPUR: Police smashed a human trafficking syndicate that allegedly smuggled 1,752 Bangladeshi migrants into the country over the past 13 months with the arrest of 64 people.
The two-month operation was held in Selangor and Negri Sembilan.
Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar in a statement yesterday said those who were arrested included 46 Bangladeshi migrants and 18 others who acted as agents, skippers, transporters, housekeepers and runners.
He said the syndicate, which was believed to have been operating since early last year had smuggled the migrants from Indonesia.
“Among those arrested were two agents, six skippers, three transporters, three housekeepers and four runners. Thirteen of them are locals, four Bangladeshis and one Indonesian.
“They were all picked up during a series of operations conducted between Aug 13 and Oct 13 in Selangor and Negri Sembilan,” he said.
Khalid added that four vehicles, cash amounting to RM23,100, 46 Bangladeshi passports, 55 mobile phones, chains, a cane and a few notebooks were also confiscated in the operation.
The syndicate is believed to be operating in Bangladesh and Indonesia with the network here especially in Selangor.
“The syndicate had between August 2014 and August this year smuggled 1,752 Bangladeshis into the country which involve transactions between RM20 million and RM30 million,” Khalid said.
The suspects were held under the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act (Sosma) 2012 and investigated under the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act (ATIP-SOM) 2007.
“The 46 migrants and a Bangladeshi housekeeper have been charged under Section (1) (c) of the Immigration Act 1959/1963 at the Petaling Jaya magistrate’s court on Sept 29 for entering the country without valid permit.
“All of them pleaded guilty and sentenced to six months jail and will be deported, Khalid said.
Meanwhile, six locals and two Bangladeshis were charged under ATIP-SOM for various offences, he added.
He said eight others, including six Malaysians have been arrested and will be subjected to detention under Section 3 (1) of the Prevention of Crime Act (POCA) 1959, while another Malaysian released.
-nst
