22-month-old toddler among 38 undocumented migrants nabbed in Klang

 

 A 22-month-old toddler was among 38 Indonesian undocumented migrants detained in a raid on a budget hotel in Klang last Saturday.

Klang Utara district police chief Nurulhuda Mohd Salleh said the 12.30am raid was conducted following information gathered through an operation codenamed “Op Lejang”.

She said the operation had detected a group of Indonesian nationals who were staying at the hotel and behaving in a suspicious manner.

Among the foreigners detained was an Indonesian man, in his 50s, who was believed to be the mastermind of a migrant smuggling syndicate, she said in a statement today.

Nurulhuda said the suspect was responsible to collect money from undocumented migrants for their temporary accommodation and arrange a suitable date for them to return to their home country by boat.

“Initial investigations found that all the undocumented migrants, aged between one and their 50s stayed in seven rooms which had been rented under the name of a local man.

“Further investigation found that the rooms were rented as temporary accommodation for all the undocumented migrants whose visas have expired before returning to their home country through a non-gazetted road,” she said.

Nurulhuda said also detained were two local men, both in their 40s, believed to be “tekong darat” (locals harbouring undocumented migrants).

She said the syndicate was believed to have been active since six months ago, with each immigrant being charged between RM1,500 and RM2,500, adding that the case was being investigated under Section 26A of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act 2007.

- Bernama