Immigration busts van service for undocumented migrants in Kajang, Putrajaya, drivers earning up to RM1,800 a month

PUTRAJAYA, Sept 23 — The Immigration Department (JIM) has arrested 53 passengers and seven drivers in a special operation targeting a transport service for suspected illegal immigrants in Kajang and Putrajaya. The operation, carried out on September 21, saw the interception of seven vans carrying foreign passengers. Six of the vans were operated by foreign drivers, including five Bangladeshi men and an Indonesian man.

The seventh van was driven by a Malaysian man, who was also arrested. None of the foreign drivers had valid travel documents or permits, and some were using probationary driving licences. Initial investigations revealed that the drivers were reportedly earning between RM1,600 and RM1,800 per month from the van owners, believed to be Malaysian citizens, to provide this service.

The foreign nationals reportedly used the van service to commute between Kampung Dato’ Abu Bakar Baginda, Kajang, and Putrajaya, spending around RM100 monthly. The seven vans have been seized for allegedly being used in offences under the Immigration Act 1959/63, while the drivers face investigation under Section 55E of the same Act.

The 53 passengers, comprising 12 men and 32 women from Indonesia, eight Bangladeshi men, and a Myanmar man, have been detained for not possessing valid travel documents or passes. They have been transferred to the Putrajaya Immigration Depot.