AUTHORITIES have apprehended 29 Indonesian nationals, including a skipper, suspected of involvement in human trafficking activities in Sitiawan two days ago, reported Bernama.

Manjung district police chief Mohamed Nordin Abdullah said his team received a tip-off around 8:34pm from the Kampung Acheh marine police. 

They subsequently intercepted a wooden “pom pom” type boat approximately 9.8 nautical miles (18.2km) from Tanjung Hantu Segari in Manjung waters.

“The vessel was believed to have been transporting the migrants via an uncharted route,” he stated in a press release yesterday.

Following the successful interception, marine police conducted an inspection, leading to the arrest of the skipper and 29 individuals, which included five Indonesian women, on suspicion of entering the country without valid travel documents.

Preliminary investigations revealed that all those detained had congregated in an area thought to be near Sabak Bernam, Selangor, before boarding the boat on August 3. The vessel had been adrift for approximately eight days due to damage before being located by marine police.

The case is currently under investigation in accordance with Section 26A of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Migrant Smuggling Act 2007 and Section (6)(1)(c) of the Immigration Act 1959. – August 13, 2024.