Immigration detains Pakistani man masterminding PATI smuggling, targeting local women as wives
ASTRO AWANI
September 14, 2023
One of the Pakistani nationals arrested in Pasir Mas, Kelantan on Monday. - Photo/ Immigration Department
Immigration detains Pakistani man masterminding PATI smuggling, targeting local women as wives
One of the Pakistani nationals arrested in Pasir Mas, Kelantan on Monday. - Photo/ Immigration Department
KOTA BHARU: The Immigration Department busted a smuggling syndicate of illegal aliens (PATI) masterminded by Pakistani men who actively brought in fellow countrymen on September 11.
The Director General of the Malaysian Immigration Department, Datuk Ruslin Jusoh said that the Operation Wave IV started at 9am and was carried out by a team from the Intelligence and Special Operations Division of the Putrajaya Immigration Headquarters in collaboration with the Kelantan Immigration Department.
He said, the operation as a whole succeeded in arresting eight Pakistani nationals aged 30 to 50 years.
According to him, the first raid in Pasir Mas managed to arrest three Pakistani men consisting of a transporter and a PATI.
"The second raid on a residence in Pasir Tumboh, Kota Bharu, suspected of being used as a transit point for illegal immigrants, succeeded in arresting five Pakistani men, including the main mastermind of this syndicate.
"The operation team also seized RM2,000 in cash, eight Pakistani passports that did not have an entry stamp to Malaysia, a multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) and a sedan vehicle believed to be used for smuggling purposes," he said in a statement on Thursday.
He said the main mastermind of this syndicate aged around 50 is a Long Term Social Visit Pass holder and also the husband of a local woman.
He said, transporters are also holders of Temporary Work Visit Passes (PLKS) that are still valid.
"This syndicate is believed to have been active since May 2022 and preliminary investigations found that the syndicate manages the smuggling of PATIs from Pakistan who try to seize employment opportunities illegally and target local women to be wives in this country," he said.
Ruslin added, the syndicate's modus operandi is to smuggle illegal aliens from Pakistan by boarding a plane and landing in Thailand.
"Then this PATI will be taken through an illegal base across the Malaysia-Thailand border.
"The masterminds of the syndicate are believed to charge between RM6,000 and RM7,000 for each PATI to enter Malaysia before being taken to certain destinations outside Kelantan such as the Klang Valley, Melaka, Penang and Johor Bahru," he said.
Strictly speaking, the mastermind and transporter were investigated under the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Migrant Smuggling Act (ATIPSOM) 2007 while six illegal immigrants were investigated under the Immigration Act 1959/63 and the Passport Act 1966.
