KANGAR, July 4 — Attempts to smuggle in seven Indonesian undocumented migrants using a vessel resembling a fishing boat in Kuala Sungai Baru failed after police chanced upon them near here on Wednesday.

Kangar District Police Chief Supt Wari Kiew said the boat was detained by a special Op Benteng team from the Kangar District Police Headquarters while it was docking at about 1am.

"The findings indicate that all the suspects were Indonesian men aged between 30 and 55 who had no valid travel documents and they were detained for 14 days for further investigation,” he said.

Police also failed to find any fishing gear on the boat and the boat was taken to the Kuala Perlis jetty for further action, he said, adding police were hunting for the boat skipper, also an Indonesian, who escaped.

Wari said in a separate operation, police also arrested four Myanmar nationals, including three men and a woman between the ages of 29 and 40, in a mangrove swamp, Pulau Ketam, near here on July 2.

All four did not have valid travel documents, he said. — Bernama