KANGAR: Police foiled an attempt to smuggle 12 Myanmar nationals into the country in separate arrests around the Padang Besar area last Friday (Oct 11) and Saturday (Oct 12).
Padang Besar Police chief ACP Mohd Shokri Abdullah said 10 of them, including three women, between the ages of 19 and 32, were detained by the 2nd Battalion General Operations Force (PGA) in a raid under Op Taring Wawasan Kedah/Perlis along the Malaysia-Thailand border security area near Padang Besar at 3.30 am, last Friday.
Based on preliminary investigations, he said all the Myanmar nationals were believed to have entered Malaysia through the rat lanes along the Malaysia-Thailand border.
One of them, a 27-year-old man, is suspected of acting as the ‘tekong’ (transporter) to show the group the way.
“During checks on the foreigners, they failed to show valid identification documents to enter Malaysia.
“The tekong is believed to have received RM200 for each individual and instructions from an agent from a neighbouring country,“ he said in a statement today.
Mohd Shokri said the guide, who is the main suspect, was remanded for 28 days under Section 4(5) of the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 (SOSMA) from Oct 12, while nine Myanmar illegals were remanded under the Immigration Act from Oct 12 to Oct 25.
Meanwhile, he said two more Myanmar nationals, an 18-year-old male and a 30-year-old woman, were detained in a Nissan Slyphy car by the PGA Northern Brigade Headquarters Intelligence Branch and 2nd PGA Battalion near the Chuping Sugar Factory area in Padang Besar at 2.20 am, last Saturday.
“When the car was stopped and checked, there were a husband and wife from Myanmar aged 28 and 30. The husband was driving the car. Both of them had their respective passports.
However, the other two Myanmar nationals failed to present any identification documents to show they entered Malaysia legally,“ he said.
Mohd Shokri said preliminary investigations showed that the husband and wife were believed to be the drivers and were transporting the two other Myanmar nationals, who were thought to have entered Malaysia through the rat lanes along the Malaysia-Thailand border, to a neighbouring state.
“The couple are suspected of acting as tekong, receiving RM500 for each individual. They have been remanded for 28 days under Section 4(5) of the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 (SOSMA) from Oct 12.
“The other two Myanmar nationals have been remanded for 14 days under the Immigration Act from Oct 12 to Oct 25, 2024,“ he said.
He added that the cases were also being investigated under Section 26A of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act 2007 (ATIPSOM) 2007 (Act 670 ) and Section 6(1)(c) of the Immigration Act 1959/63.
