ALOR SETAR: The Kedah Police have arrested nine individuals, including four Myanmar nationals, for alleged involvement in the smuggling of immigrants to be exploited in the illegal mining of rare earth elements (REE) in the Bukit Enggang Forest Reserve in Sik, so far.
Kedah Police Chief Datuk Fisol Salleh said the nine individuals, aged between 21 and 60, were believed to be the agents in the smuggling of the immigrants.
“On June 21, we arrested four locals, including a woman, believed to be involved in the case. On June 25, another suspect with four Myanmar national were nabbed in a raid in Baling.
“We also seized several tools and more than four gunny sacks of minerals containing REE weighing about 99 kg,” he told a press conference at the Kedah Police Contingent headquarters here today.
Following the arrests, he said separate investigations were carried out under Section 26A of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and. Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act (ATIPSOM) 2007 and Section 6(1)(c) of the Immigration Act 1959/63.
Yesterday, four of the suspects were charged in court with 18 charges under ATIPSOM 2007 and Immigration Act.
Fisol said police are still tracking down a 46-year-old local man believed to be the mastermind of the crime and members of the public with information on his whereabouts can contact investigation officer ASP Che Intan Subri at 013-9329614. – Bernama
