Immigration Dept Busts Dedi Syndicate, Nabs 11 In Johor For Migrant Smuggling

PUTRAJAYA, May 28 (Bernama) -- The Immigration Department busted the Dedi syndicate involved in migrant smuggling activities in a special operation conducted around Johor yesterday

Its director-general, Datuk Zakaria Shaaban said nine Indonesians and two locals, aged between 25 and 47, were detained during a 10 pm operation in several areas, including Kukup, Skudai and Batu Pahat.

He said that after three weeks of intelligence gathering, authorities detained an Indonesian man suspected of being the mastermind, known as Dedi, along with two other Indonesian men believed to be tekongs (smuggling agents).

"The operations team also arrested two local women suspected of being 'transporters' and premises caretakers. Also detained were five Indonesian men and one Indonesian woman," he said in a statement today.

He said that preliminary checks found that one Indonesian man had overstayed his visa, while the others lacked valid travel documents or permits to be in the country.

The operations team seized eight mobile phones, two Indonesian passports, RM1,173 in cash, a Naza Citra vehicle, and a boat believed to have been used for transporting illegal immigrants.

"The syndicate's modus operandi was to smuggle Indonesians in and out via sea routes to Johor or Indonesia, charging each migrant RM2,100 for the journey," he said.

He said that the illegal immigrants brought in would be housed in a hotel used as a safe house to avoid detection by authorities before moving in or out of Malaysia.

"This syndicate is believed to have been operating for the past six months.

"The department is committed to combating human smuggling syndicates, to enforce the law, and safeguard the nation's security and sovereignty," he also said.

Zakaria added that all those nabbed were sent to the Setia Tropika Immigration Depot here or further action.

The case is being investigated under Section 26A of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act (ATIPSOM) 2007 and Section 6(3) of the Immigration Act 1959/63.

-- BERNAMA