THE Immigration Department crippled a human trafficking syndicate and arrested 51 illegal immigrants in an operation codenamed “Op Gelombang V” in Kota Baru, Kelantan, last Wednesday.

Its director-general Ruslin Jusoh said those arrested consisted of 43 Indian nationals (39 men and four women), two Pakistani men and six Thai nationals (two women and four boys).

He said the illegal immigrants, aged between two and 60, were arrested at 10.20am in a raid conducted at a budget hotel, which was used by the syndicate as a transit house for illegal immigrants.

“Also arrested were five local men, consisting of the hotel owner, two caretakers of the establishment and two transporters. All of them, aged between 23 and 57, are suspected to be members of the syndicate,” he said in a statement today.

All the illegal immigrants were sent to the Tanah Merah Immigration Depot while the five local men are on remand for six days to assist in investigations.

Ruslin said the department also confiscated RM5,300 in cash, 42 passports purportedly issued by the Indian government and four vehicles suspected to have been used to transport the illegal immigrants to the transit location.

He said the syndicate, believed to have been active since the middle of last year, targets illegal immigrants from India wanting to enter the country illegally by charging each individual between RM8,000 and RM10,000.

“The syndicate’s modus operandi is to smuggle the immigrants through a neighbouring country using illegal routes at the border.

“These illegal immigrants are then transported using local transporter vehicles to the transit locations before they are sent to specific areas,” he added. – Bernama, September 16, 2023.