Smugglers use gun threats to silence Kelantan locals over illegal migrant landings
KOTA BARU: Villagers along the Kelantan coast claim they have been threatened with firearms by members of human-smuggling syndicates to stop them from exposing illegal activities in their neighbourhoods.
Kelantan authorities have made 38 arrests since last year in their fight against aggressive migrant smugglers, according to Garry Belayong John Siki, Kelantan Immigration director. The suspects are accused of illegally bringing in 380 undocumented migrants from countries like Indonesia, Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, and Pakistan. The arrests occurred across Kelantan's districts, including Pasir Mas, Kota Baru, and Gua Musang.
The smugglers, some locals, employed aggressive tactics, damaging Immigration enforcement vehicles during high-speed chases. In total, 41 vehicles used for transportation were seized. Despite the challenges, Siki affirmed that the department would persist in dismantling migrant-smuggling networks utilizing Kelantan as an entry point.
Additionally, recent reports warn of threats from human-smuggling syndicates, with villagers reportedly facing firearms intimidation to silence concerns about illegal activities in coastal communities.
Written by urgent.news from New Straits Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
