JOHOR BARU, June 24 — Johor police nabbed four Immigration Department officers and a marine police officer believed to be involved in migrant smuggling activities in two separate cases in the state recently.
It was learnt that the arrests of the enforcement personnel were from follow-up operations conducted by police since March this year.
Johor police chief Datuk Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay said the first arrest on June 23 involved three Immigration Department officers that were based in the Pasir Gudang ferry terminal.
“All three male suspects, aged between 30 and 48, included a senior immigration officer and two immigration officers.
“Initial investigations revealed that the suspect’s modus operandi involved charging RM1,500 to RM2,500 per Indonesian migrant for a fake Malaysian Immigration Department rubber stamp to arrange for their exit as the migrants had expired social visit passes.
“Upon their arrival at the ferry terminal, the suspects who are believed to be linked to a syndicate, will arrange for their exit to their country of origin,” said Ayob Khan.
He said this during a special press conference at the Johor police contingent headquarters today.
Also present was Johor Criminal Investigations Department (CID) chief Md Yusof Ahmad.
Ayob Khan revealed that the arrests of the Immigration Department officers were based on information received from an earlier operation where 12 Indonesian migrants were detained by Special Branch operatives between June 15 to 21.
He said the syndicate’s activities started since May of this year during the movement control order (MCO).
“The illegal activities by the Immigration Department officers were first detected after the Johor police launched a large scale operation on migrant smuggling activities in the state’s east coast,” said Ayob Khan.
In a separate case, Ayob Khan said the Johor CID had also arrested a 41-year-old marine policeman that is believed to be involved in syndicated migrant smuggling activities.
He said the suspect, serving at the Putrajaya marine police force, was nabbed on June 19 and has been active in migrant smuggling activities since May 2017.
Ayob Khan said the case involving Immigration Department officers have been categorised under Section 26A of the of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants (Atipsom) Act 2007 that will be investigated with the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 (Sosma) as a security offence.
For the marine policeman, he said police have arrested him for investigation under Section 130V and Section 130ZB of the Criminal Procedure Code for organised crime under the Penal Code with investigative procedures under Security Offenses (Special Measures) Act 2012.
Aa of today, Johor police have arrested a total of 22 government enforcement personnel involved in migrant smuggling activities.
They consist of 14 police personnel, including a senior officer, five armed forces personnel that includes two officers, and three immigration officers.
