IPOH: The sighting of an empty boat along the coast of the Segari beach in Manjung led police to the discovery of 35 illegals from Indonesia hiding at a palm oil plantation nearby.
Manjung OCPD ACP Mohamed Nordin Abdullah said at about 9.45am on Friday (June 30), police received information from the public on the empty boat.
He added that those who reported the sighting claimed they saw foreigners being brought out of the vessel.
”A search team was deployed to a nearby plantation in Segari, and there we managed to locate 35 people who had been hiding. There were 24 men, 10 women, and one child,” he said.
ACP Mohamed said with the arrest of the 35, police then managed to nab two locals at a restaurant in Kampung Bharu in Manjung.
“The case is classified as human trafficking, and is being investigated under Section 26A of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants (Atipsom) 2007 Act, Section 6(1)(c), and Section 15 (1) of the Immigration Act 1959,” he added.
He said all those arrested would be remanded to assist in further investigations.
“I urge the public not to get involved, or conspire in protecting the entry of illegal immigrants.
“Those found guilty of doing so can be jailed a maximum of 15 years, and can be fined,” he added.
He said for those who have information on the incident are urged to contact the investigating officer Inspector Muhammad Sollehuddin Rahmat at 013-790 8995.
