One-year-old girl among 92 arrested during four-day police operation against migrant smuggling in Johor

JOHOR BARU, July 23 — A baby girl was among 92 individuals arrested by the police for being part of a migrant smuggling syndicate during a series of operations held recently in Johor.

The one-year-old infant was found together with other migrants during several operations held between last Sunday and yesterday at several locations in the state.

Johor police chief Datuk Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay said the police, together with their marine counterparts, arrested the suspects in various locations within Kota Tinggi, Seri Alam and Iskandar Puteri.

He said the 92 suspects, between the ages of one and 53 years, consisted of 79 migrants, 11 skippers and two transporters.

“In the first raid on Sunday, the Region 2 marine police force detained four skippers and 15 migrants along Sungai Rengit near Pengerang for attempting to leave the country into a neighbouring country via unauthorised means.

“The police then launched a follow-up operation where six other skippers and 16 migrants were arrested in connection with migrant smuggling activities,” said Ayob Khan during a press conference held at the Johor police contingent headquarters here today.

A marine police boat stops a boat believed to be used for migrant smuggling activities on Sungai Rengit near Pengerang last Sunday. — Picture courtesy of the Johor police

Ayob Khan said investigations also revealed that the syndicate’s members have been using the Sungai Rengit area as a transit point to ferry the illegal migrants out of the country via sea routes.

In the second case, Ayob Khan said the police raided a home stay in Kampung Sungai Tiram on Monday where they arrested eight migrants, including a woman.

He said those arrested then led the police to a nearby resort in Ulu Tiram where they detained other four men, including two locals, who are believed to have used the home stays to house the illegal migrants.

Ayob Khan said the police acted on another case where 26 illegal migrants were nabbed by the road shoulder along Jalan Batu 12 near Kampung Mawai in Kota Tinggi.

“The suspects consisted of 20 men, five women and a one-year-old girl who did not have any valid travel documents to stay in this country.

“The police also arrested a 53-year-old Indonesian national who holds a permanent resident status for allegedly working as a transporter to ferry the illegal migrants,” he said.

On Tuesday, Ayob Khan said the police also arrested 21 Bangladeshi nationals for not having valid documentation, together with a local man, inside a bus during a road block near the Port Tanjung Pelepas (PTP).

For yesterday, he said the police raided a house near Kampung Tanjung Adang in Tanjung Kupang near Gelang Patah where they arrested eight Indonesian nationals.

“They wanted to leave the country illegally and investigations revealed that they had paid about RM1,300 each. Investigators then launched another operation where they arrested a local man believed to be an agent in Taman Desa Paya Mengkuang, Gelang Patah.

“The police also seized three boats, five 40 horsepower boat engines, 28 various mobile phones, a bus, a car and more than RM8,000 in cash from the suspects,” said Ayob Khan.

All the suspects are under police custody and being investigated under Section 26A of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants (Atipsom) Act 2007 and the Immigration Act 1959/63.