ALOR SETAR: A couple were arrested when they allegedly tried to smuggle eight Myanmar nationals into the country using a multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) at KM 5.2 of the North-South Expressway near Bukit Kayu Hitam, on Sunday (Nov 24).
Kubang Pasu district police chief Supt Mohd Redzuan Salleh said a team of police from the Bukit Kayu Hitam Police Station on a smuggling prevention task came across a Perodua Alza MPV driven under suspicious circumstances.
"The police followed the MPV before detaining the vehicle. Further investigation found a 21-year-old local man and a 20-year-old local woman who were a couple with four Myanmar men and four women.
"All the foreigners aged between 20 and 42 were found to have no valid travel documents," he said in a statement on Sunday.
He said investigations into the couple, who are believed to be acting as 'tekong', revealed that they were offered wages from another Myanmar man with a payment of RM200 for each foreigner sent from the Bukit Kayu Hitam border to Sungai Petani.
"The case is being investigated under Section 26A of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act 2007 and Section 6(1)(c) of the Immigration Act 1959/63 which, if convicted, carries a jail term of not more than 15 years and can be fined or both.
"The police are always vigilant in efforts to eradicate crimes involving human trafficking activities, especially at the Malaysia-Thailand border. The public can provide information by channelling it to the MERS 999 hotline or by contacting any police station nearby," he said. - Bernama
