SERIAN: The General Operations Force (GOF) thwarted two human smuggling attempts by four local agents, known colloquially as tekong, within two hours last Saturday (Jan 23).
Sarawak GOF commander SAC Mancha Ata said the first attempt happened around 9.40pm at a parking lot under the Sadong Bridge, Jalan Serian-Sri Aman.
A team, acting on information, stopped a four-wheel-drive (4WD) vehicle suspected of transporting illegal immigrants.
“A local man and five Indonesian men were inside the vehicle.
“All the Indonesians do not have any valid work permit and had overstayed in the country,” said SAC Mancha.
Meanwhile at about 11.40pm, another GOF team spotted two suspicious vehicles and tailed them from Jalan Kampung Tebekang to Jalan Serian-Kuching and to the Jalan Pasar Baki Lama junction.
The team stopped the vehicles for inspection. Three local men and five Indonesian men were inside.
Upon checking, the Indonesians were found to have entered the country illegally.
“We seized the vehicles, five mobile phones and cash amounting to RM5,780.
“Total seizure from both cases is estimated to be around RM117,480,” said SAC Mancha.
The arrests and seizures were made under Section 15 of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act 2007, Section 6(1)(c) of the Immigration Act 1959 (Act 155) and the Infectious Disease Prevention and Control Act 1988 (Act 342).
As of Jan 1, Sarawak GOF has arrested 10 locals, 33 Indonesians and deported the illegal immigrants comprising 25 men and eight women.
These were from 12 cases involving seizures amounting to RM392,234.60.
