KOTA BHARU, April 22 — Police arrested an 18-year-old youth in Kampung Bunohan on Monday for allegedly acting as a ‘tekong darat’ (ground coordinator) and being paid RM100 for each illegal immigrant transported.
The suspect, who tested positive for drugs, is believed to have used his brother’s Mitsubishi Triton four-wheel drive vehicle to transport immigrants discreetly from the border to the Kota Bharu Bus Station.
General Operations Force (GOF) Southeast Brigade Commander SAC Ahmad Radzi Hussain said the suspect was arrested at about 4am following a follow-up operation after a vehicle was intercepted along the Terbok-Kelaboran Belukar route at 11.30 pm the previous night.
“During the first operation, members of the 9th Battalion of the GOF gave chase to the speeding vehicle before overtaking it and bringing it to a halt.
“However, two men managed to escape, while five foreigners were found hiding in the back seat,” he said in a statement yesterday.
Ahmad Radzi said further investigation led to the seizure of the vehicle, five passports, four mobile phones and cash in various currencies with a total value of RM126,551.
According to him, the five foreigners, comprising four Indian men and one Sri Lankan, were smuggled in from Thailand via an illegal river crossing by boat.
“Investigations found that all the immigrants had paid approximately RM3,000 each to agents in their home countries to arrange their entry into Malaysia.
“All suspects have been handed over to the Tumpat district police headquarters and investigations are being conducted under Section 55(e) and Section 6(1) of the Immigration Act 1959/63, as well as Section 15(1) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952,” he said. — Bernama
