Three boat operators among 38 Indonesians held in Selangor migrant smuggling crackdown

KUALA LUMPUR, November 4 — A total of 38 Indonesians were apprehended by the General Operations Force (GOF) in a crackdown on migrant smuggling along the coastal region of Kampung Sungai Gatal, close to Sabak Bernam, on November 2. The operation, known as Op Taring Delta, took place around 4:30 am, during which three boat operators were among the detained individuals.

Acting Commander ACP Awang Arfian Awang Bujang of the GOF Central Brigade revealed that the remaining 35 detainees consisted of 24 adult men and 11 adult women. The team also seized a fishing vessel, a Mitsubishi engine, and three mobile phones, which are suspected to have been utilized as communication tools in the smuggling operation. The combined value of these seized items is estimated to be RM406,800.

According to Awang Arfian, the GOF Central Brigade has recorded 171 cases of migrant smuggling and immigration offenses from January 1 to November 4 this year. These operations resulted in the arrest of 898 individuals within their jurisdiction, which includes Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, Negeri Sembilan, Melaka, and Johor. Of these arrests, 33 were under the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act 2007 (ATIPSOM), implicating 76 boat operators.

Additionally, 138 cases were under the Immigration Act 1959/63, leading to 822 arrests. The GOF plans to continue its intensified efforts and intelligence gathering to combat migrant smuggling and other unlawful cross-border activities. The public is encouraged to provide information on such activities to the police for further action.