Armed syndicates make migrant-smuggling crackdown harder, says MMEA chief

KUALA LUMPUR: Syndicates smuggling illegal immigrants into the country are believed to be arming themselves with pistols and rifles to protect their operations and confront enforcement personnel attempting to foil their activities in Malaysian waters.

This has made efforts by the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) to curb the smuggling increasingly challenging, as the syndicates are believed to be prepared to use force to prevent their routes and operations from being disrupted.

The threat posed by the smugglers was highlighted last week when an MMEA personnel was killed and three others injured in a collision during a special operation to intercept a boat suspected of carrying illegal immigrants off Kuala Sungai Padang, Perlis.

MMEA director-general Admiral (Maritime) Datuk Mohd Rosli Abdullah said operations to curb the activities were increasingly challenging, not only because of the syndicates' constantly changing tactics but also the possibility that they possessed firearms to protect their operations and evade enforcement.

He said the syndicates were willing to spend large sums of money on boats fitted with high-powered engines to ensure faster journeys and make it easier to evade detection.

Rosli said the agency had also received information that residents along Sungai Kelantan, particularly between Tumpat and Kuala Besar, had been threatened against leaking information about the syndicates' activities and boat landing locations.

"Based on the information obtained, the fees charged can range from RM5,000 to RM25,000 per person for each illegal immigrant brought into Malaysia, depending on the route, destination and services provided by the syndicate.

"Therefore, the safety of personnel is always given priority during operations, especially when dealing with suspects believed to be involved in smuggling activities," he told Utusan Malaysia yesterday.

Last week, Leading Seaman (Technical) Mohd Roshaimi Mohd Ridzuan, 41, from the Intelligence Unit of the Kedah/Perlis Maritime Headquarters, died after the boat he was in struck a concrete block in Sungai Padang, Perlis, while pursuing suspects.

The collision also threw three other MMEA personnel overboard.

Kedah and Perlis Maritime director First Admiral (Maritime) Romli Mustafa said the personnel had detected a boat fitted with an outboard engine and carrying illegal immigrants about 11pm in waters near Kuala Sanglang.

He said the personnel gave chase before the two boats pressed against each other in the darkness.

Rosli said migrant smuggling syndicates often exploited remote coastal areas, small islands, river mouths and mangrove areas as temporary transit points before bringing the illegal immigrants ashore.

He said these locations frequently changed according to the syndicates' modus operandi and the latest intelligence.

The agency did not focus on any single location but instead adopted an intelligence-led enforcement approach, conducting patrols based on risk assessments and the latest intelligence.

"The MMEA will not compromise in controlling Malaysian waters and will continue to step up sea and air patrols, special operations, intelligence gathering and the use of maritime surveillance systems.

"This is to ensure that any attempt to bring in illegal immigrants can be detected and curbed effectively to safeguard the security and sovereignty of the nation's waters," he said.

He added that Perak, Selangor, Melaka, Johor and Sabah had been identified as among the main landing points for illegal immigrants, based on geographical factors, strategic locations and risk assessments of maritime smuggling routes.

He said these areas had features such as long coastlines, small islands, river mouths, mangrove areas and proximity to international maritime routes, which were often exploited by smuggling syndicates.

"In Sabah, the threat of illegal immigrant landings is more pronounced given its location close to international borders," he said.

Eleven foreigners, including nine undocumented Myanmar migrants and two Thai boat skippers, are being investigated for murder under Section 302 of the Penal Code over Roshaimi's death.