A senior Immigration Department officer was among 10 individuals arrested during an anti-migrant smuggling operation at the Bukit Kayu Hitam Immigration, Customs, Quarantine and Security (ICQS) complex in Kedah yesterday.
Immigration director-general Zakaria Shaaban said the syndicate facilitated the entry of foreign nationals, particularly from India, through land checkpoints with the help of “transporters” posing as taxi drivers. The officer allegedly approved their entry despite them failing to meet immigration requirements.
“The syndicate charged RM1,000 per person, with RM400 from each payment believed to have been given to the officer for endorsing the passports. The operation is believed to have been active since early this year,” he said.
Zakaria stressed that the department will not tolerate any involvement in migrant smuggling activities, including by its own personnel, as part of efforts to safeguard national security and sovereignty.
Those detained include a local man and a Thai national believed to be agents coordinating the entry of migrants, as well as another local individual who acted as a transporter.
Also arrested were five Indian nationals and one Pakistani national.
Preliminary checks revealed that one of the Indian nationals had been blacklisted, while the Pakistani suspect was found to be using a fake e-visa.
The case is being investigated under the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act 2007, as well as the Immigration Act 1959/63.
