Police arrest nearly 30 undocumented migrants adrift at sea for 8 days

Police arrested 29 Indonesians including a skipper, suspected of being involved in human trafficking activities in Sitiawan, Perak two days ago.

Manjung district police chief Mohamed Nordin Abdullah said his team received information at about 8.34pm from the Kampung Acheh marine police, Sitiawan, and detained a wooden “pom pom” type boat about 9.8 nautical miles (18.2km) from Tanjung Hantu Segari in the Manjung waters.

"The boat was believed to have been carrying the foreigners via an uncharted route.

"After successfully detaining the boat, the marine police conducted an inspection and arrested the skipper and 29 individuals, including five Indonesian women, on suspicion of entering the country without valid travel passes," he said in a statement yesterday.

A preliminary investigation found that all those arrested had gathered in an area believed to be around Sabak Bernam, Selangor before boarding the boat on Aug 3.

The boat was adrift for about eight days after it was damaged before the marine police tracked it down, he added.

The case is being investigated under Section 26A of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Migrant Smuggling Act 2007 and Section (6)(1)(c) of the Immigration Act 1959.

- Bernama

Criminologist wants new standards in trafficking trials

Past govts allowed KL prostitution, gambling dens to thrive: Anwar

COMMENT | Malaysia is a nation of migrants - act with compassion

Govt should help 'undocumented' protesters, not arrest them - activists

Sosma arrests, detentions for 2023 highest in 5 years - Suaram

6 Indonesians detained for trying to leave country illegally

Migrant worker import quota won via fake deals, then traded for millions