Photo credit: South China Post
Malaysian immigration authorities say they have uncovered an Indonesian migrant-smuggling syndicate that moved people from sea crossings to a more elaborate route through Singapore and southern Thailand.
The raid, carried out before dawn on Saturday at two major transport terminals in Kuala Lumpur, led to the arrest of 11 indonesians, including a suspected transporter, and seizure of a Mazda CX-5 believed to have been used to move migrants to their next stop.
Immigration director general Zakaria Shaaban said officers had tracked a group of Indonesian nationals arriving in Klang Valley – where the Greater Kuala Lumpur region is located – from Kelantan by express bus after they were believed to have been smuggled into Malaysia through illegal routes along the Thai border.
Preliminary investigations found the group had moved away from sea routes off Selangor and begun using what immigration officials described as “layered” air and land routes to avoid detection.
Officials said the syndicate had avoided direct flights into Malaysia because many of the migrants were believed to be blacklisted from entering the country.
The syndicate was believed to be led by an Indonesian mastermind and supported by intermediary agents operating in Hat Yai.
