MMEA Selangor detains 30, including 27 undocumented migrants, on a fishing vessel off Sungai Besar, thwarting a human smuggling syndicate.
PELABUHAN KLANG: The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) Selangor has thwarted an attempt to smuggle 27 undocumented migrants aboard a local fishing vessel.
The interception occurred in the waters off Sungai Besar, Sabak Bernam, early yesterday morning.
State MMEA director Captain Maritime Abdul Muhaimin Muhammad Salleh said the arrests followed a joint operation, after a similar class B vessel was detained in the same waters on January 5.
“The skipper acted aggressively, refusing to stop,” he said at a press conference today.
“He then jumped into the sea before being captured.”
The vessel had 30 people onboard, including the 27 illegal Indonesian migrants, comprising 20 men and seven women aged 25 to 70.
The 37-year-old skipper and his two crewmen, aged 36 and 59, were also detained.
All 30 individuals failed to produce any valid identification documents during the inspection.
Abdul Muhaimin revealed that the syndicate had shifted its modus operandi from speedboats to fishing vessels.
He said the syndicate was capitalising on the rising number of foreign workers in the fisheries sector.
Migrants paid between RM2,000 and RM2,500 each to be smuggled from places like Lombok and Medan.
The case is being investigated under the Immigration Act 1959/63, the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act 2007, and the Fisheries Act 1985.
The public is urged to report smuggling activities or maritime emergencies to the Selangor Maritime Operations Centre on 013-660 6652 or the emergency line 999.
