JOHOR BARU: The state Immigration Department detained two Bangladeshi men suspected of being involved in a migrant smuggling syndicate during an operation called Ops Serkap.
The operation took place around 2.30pm on Dec 19, where both suspects, aged 37 and 46, were detained in an apartment in Larkin Indah, which had been used as a transit house by the smuggling syndicate.
Johor Immigration Department director Datuk Mohd Rusdi Mohd Darus said the two Bangladeshi men acted as caretakers of the transit house and facilitators for the smuggling victims brought into the country.
"This action follows earlier operations, including the arrest of a Bangladeshi man suspected of being smuggled into Malaysia through the Sultan Abu Bakar Complex entry point in Johor Baru.
"Preliminary investigations led to a raid on an apartment used as a transit house for Bangladeshi nationals," he said in a statement here today.
Rusdi said several Bangladeshi passports and cash amounting to RM14,500 were seized. A vehicle was also confiscated.
He said investigations found that the smuggling activities had been ongoing for the past two months.
"The syndicate charged a fee of RM13,000 per person to bring them from Bangladesh to Malaysia via Singapore.
"The two suspects arrested are suspected of committing offences under the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act 2007 (Act 670) and the Passport Act 1966 (Act 150)," he said.