SHAH ALAM, Oct 21 — The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) yesterday foiled an attempt to smuggle in 57 undocumented migrants from Indonesia on a wooden boat via an ungazetted sea route in waters off Tanjong Karang.
Selangor MMEA director Abdul Muhaimin Muhammad Salleh said the operation was based on intelligence gained about human smuggling there.
He said that upon receiving a tip-off, an MMEA vessel already on routine patrol was deployed to intercept a suspicious wooden boat with no registration number.
“The vessel was intercepted at about 0.7 nautical miles southwest of Tanjong Karang.
“An inspection revealed the boat was operated by a 23-year-old skipper, assisted by two Indonesian crew members aged 18 and 28.
“There were 54 undocumented Indonesian migrants on board comprising 31 men and 23 women, aged between 18 and 60,” he said in a statement posted on Facebook today.
Muhaimin also said some of the detained migrants had passports.
“The case is being investigated under the Immigration Act 1953/63 for entering and exiting the country via ungazetted routes, as well as under the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act 2007 for the attempted smuggling of migrants into Malaysia,” read the statement.
Muhaimin also said the detainees were escorted to the Marine Police Jetty in Pulau Indah.
“MMEA will not compromise with any party involved in cross-border crime and will continue to intensify enforcement operations in the nation’s waters.
“The public is urged to report any information on criminal activity at sea to the Selangor Maritime Operations Centre at 013-660 6652, or via the emergency hotline 999, for immediate action,” Muhaimin added.
