Collaborating with migrant, drug smugglers: Police nab 18

JOHOR BAHRU, June 18  -- For RM500 to RM1,000 a month, a group of 18 enforcement officers and personnel were willing to turn traitors by selling information to a migrant and drugs smuggling syndicate in the state.

This was uncovered following the detentions of 40 members of a planned crime syndicate group involved in the smuggling in and out of migrants in the state on June 4, said Johor Police chief Datuk Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay.

‘’Eighteen officers and personnel of the Royal Malaysian Police (PDRM) and Malaysian Armed Forces (ATM) were detained on suspicion of being involved in migrant and drug smuggling syndicates on the East Coast of Johor since three years ago.

‘’All them are men, aged from 24 to 41 years old, detained by the Johor CID through follow-up operations from June 15 until today,’’ he told reporters at the Johor Police Contingent Headquarters, here, today.

Those detained comprised five ATM officers and personnel of various ranks, a police officer with the rank of ASP stationed at a district police headquarters (IPD) in the state, 12 low-ranked personnel, namely, nine stationed at the Kota Tinggi IPD, two in Bukit Aman and one Region Two Marine policeman.

Investigations revealed that all the suspects were involved in distributing information on operations and colluding and concealing information to facilitate smuggling.

"This is organised crime syndicate because it involves many parties, we will not tolerate it because it has been three years in operation, it has an impact and repercussion on the operations we carry out.

"It cannot be tolerated, no matter what rank, we will arrest. Wait and see the results of our investigations, ”he said emphatically.

"There is even one incident whereby personnel and officers who are able to deal with skippers to smuggle migrants and shabu can get up to RM10,000 with only one transaction," he said.

He said they would continue to carry out investigations to find out whoever were involved.

-- BERNAMA