POLICE have arrested a senior Immigration Department officer and two personnel suspected of being involved in the trafficking of migrants.

The trio, aged between 30 and 48, were detained yesterday at the Pasir Gudang ferry terminal in Johor Baru.

Johor police chief Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay said a syndicate is believed to have provided fake inbound and outbound stamp services for migrants whose social visit passes expired before the movement-control order took effect on March 18.

Investigations showed that the migrants were charged between RM1,500 and RM2,500 each, he said.

“The migrants’ movement was handled by an Immigration Department officer working with the syndicate to facilitate their return home (to Indonesia).”

He said the smuggling of migrants to Batam via the ferry terminal has been happening since early last month, when the government eased movement curbs.

He said the three suspects are being investigated under Section 26A of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act 2007 with the adoption of investigative procedures under the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 (Sosma).

Ayob Khan added that a 41-year-old officer at the marine police operations headquarters in Putrajaya was arrested on June 19 for allegedly engaging migrant-smuggling syndicates since 2017.

The suspect is being investigated under Sections 130V to 130ZB of Section 6B of the Penal Code for organised crime with the adoption of investigative procedures under Sosma.

In total, 14 police officers, five members of the armed forces and three Immigration Department officers have been arrested on suspicion of conspiring with migrant-smuggling syndicates. – Bernama, June 24, 2020.