KUCHING: The Sarawak General Operations Force (GOF) succeeded in arresting 26 foreigners for entering Sarawak through illegal trails (jalan tikus) in three operations codenamed Op Benteng Covid from Thursday to Friday (June 25 to 26).
Sarawak GOF commander SAC Mancha Ata noted that the first operation took place on Thursday (June 25), when the GOF 11th Battalion personnel arrested an Indonesian man at Kampung Entubuh, Tebedu at 10am.
The 31-year-old man was arrested during a patrol and inspection duty by the team that found him entering Sarawak through illegal trails in a cemetery.
“Further inspections revealed that the man did not have any valid travel documents, and was arrested under Section 6 (1) (c) of the Immigration Act 1953/69.
“The second operation took place on the same day at 4.30pm, where six Indonesians were arrested by the same team for entering Sarawak through illegal trails near Kampung Tong Nibong, Serian.
“Inspections were conducted and found two motorcycles, two set of keys and a passport, with an estimated value of RM5,000,” he said in a statement.
Mancha pointed out that they were arrested under Section 26A of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants (Atipsom) Act 2007, Section 6 (1) (c) of the Immigration Act 1953/69 and the Passport Act 1966.
For the third operation on Friday (June 26), the GOF 11th Battalion arrested 19 Indonesians for entering Sarawak through illegal trails at 6.30am in a palm plantation in Serian.
Inspections conducted found that all of them do not have any work permit or valid documents. Hence, they were arrested under the Section 6 (1) (c) of the Immigration Act 1953/69.
The arrests of the foreigners and seizure of items were all handed over to Serian district police headquarters (IPD) for further action.
He added that GOF will continue to carry out such operations aggressively to detect any parties who are involved in smuggling and trafficking activities at the Sarawak–Kalimantan border.
“Aggressive action will be taken in an effort to curb any form of cross-border crime and block the entry of illegal immigrants by strengthening Sarawak’s border controls to prevent the spread of Covid-19,” he said.
