KUCHING: The Royal Malaysian Customs Department (JKDM) thwarted an attempt to smuggle in five undocumented foreigners at one “Ops Benteng” roadblock at Kuching-Serian Road last Monday.
Sarawak JKDM director Datuk Sharifah Halimah Tuanku Taha said a team from the JKDM Kuching Enforcement Division inspected a van at around 12.30am and found five Indonesians hiding in the back seat of the vehicle.
“Investigations revealed that the foreigners were being brought from the bus station in Serian to another party in Kota Samarahan,” she said in a statement.
Sharifah added that the Indonesians had passports but there were no entry stamps by the Malaysian Immigration Department.
She said they were suspected to have entered Sarawak through a “rat trail” (jalan tikus) at the Sarawak-Kalimantan border.
Sharifah said the van driver, believed to be acting as the carrier agent for the foreigners, was later detained for further investigation.
“To avoid being checked by the authorities, he is believed to be operating from late night until early morning,” she said.
The case will be investigated under the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act 2007 (Act 670), Immigration Act 1959/63 (Act 155), as well as the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act 1988 (Act 342).
