PUTRAJAYA, Sept 23 — The Immigration Department (JIM) has busted a transport service for suspected illegal immigrants, with the arrest of 53 passengers and seven drivers in a special operation in Kajang and Putrajaya.

In a statement today, JIM said the operation team intercepted and detained seven vans carrying many foreign passengers on Sept 21.

Checks found that six of the vans were driven by foreign nationals, comprising five Bangladeshi men and an Indonesian man.

The driver and owner of the other van, a Malaysian man, was also arrested.

JIM said none of the foreign drivers possessed valid travel documents or passes.

Checks also found that they did not have valid competent driving licences, while some were using probationary driving licences.

“Initial investigations found that some of the foreign drivers claimed to receive between RM1,600 and RM1,800 a month from the van owners, who are believed to be Malaysian citizens, to provide the service,” it said.

“Initial investigations also found that the foreign nationals were believed to have used the van service to travel to and from their workplaces around Kampung Dato’ Abu Bakar Baginda, Kajang and Putrajaya for about RM100 a month,” it said.

JIM said the seven vans were seized for allegedly being used to commit offences under the Immigration Act 1959/63 while the drivers were arrested for investigation under Section 55E of the same Act.

“JIM is tracking down the van owners to assist in the investigation and further action,” it said.

The 53 passengers, comprising 12 men and 32 women from Indonesia, eight Bangladeshi men and a Myanmar man, were detained for allegedly not possessing valid travel documents or passes.

The arrested immigrants, aged between 18 and 59, have been sent to the Putrajaya Immigration Depot. — Bernama

* Editor’s note: The initials JIM stand for Jabatan Imigresen Malaysia in Malay.