Several foreign fishermen jumped into a river and remained submerged for nearly an hour in a desperate attempt to avoid arrest during a large-scale enforcement operation at the Bagan Nakhoda Omar fishing village early Friday morning.
The six men were among 79 undocumented migrants detained in a joint operation involving the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM), the Immigration Department, the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) and the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living (KPDN), among other agencies.
Selangor Deputy Police Chief Deputy Commissioner Mohd Zaini Abu Hassan said the operation began on Thursday afternoon and extended to several locations in Kuala Selangor, with authorities screening a total of 125 individuals.
According to him, the coastal and maritime areas around Bagan Nakhoda Omar had been identified as hotspots for migrant smuggling activities and other cross-border crimes, prompting the coordinated enforcement action.
Investigators uncovered a range of offences, including employing and harbouring undocumented migrants, failing to possess valid travel documents, overstaying, abusing visit passes and entering the country through illegal routes.
Those detained comprised 69 men and 10 women aged between 18 and 60 years old.
Mohd Zaini said police also arrested seven local men believed to be acting as boat skippers involved in smuggling activities, along with 28 foreign nationals suspected of entering the country through unlawful routes via the waters off Sabak Bernam.
The operation, which involved eight state-level security and enforcement agencies, was also aimed at identifying the methods used by migrant networks and the individuals believed to be facilitating the entry of undocumented foreigners into Selangor waters.
“The protection system they have in place appears to be quite organised. There are several layers of security designed to alert them to the presence of enforcement officers,” he said.
“Not only are the premises arranged strategically, but even the access routes appear to have been designed to protect the area. We are studying these methods and may adopt different operational approaches in future to improve effectiveness.”
Authorities also uncovered two offences involving diesel fuel under the Supply Control Act 1961 during inspections conducted by KPDN Selangor.
Mohd Zaini said integrated operations of this nature would continue in phases as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen enforcement, safeguard territorial waters and preserve national sovereignty.
He also reminded employers and members of the public not to become involved in activities that shelter undocumented migrants or facilitate cross-border crimes.
“National security is a shared responsibility. We encourage the public to provide information to the authorities so appropriate action can be taken,” he said.
