KOTA BHARU, 17 Nov 2017:
The Kelantan Immigration Department has detained two express bus drivers for alleged smuggling of illegal immigrants into the country using public transport.
Director Wan Mohammed Saupee Wan Yusoff said the men, aged 40 and 43, were arrested at 11.15pm in Kampung Manal, Tanah Merah on Wednesday.
“Acting on a public tip-off, we trailed a Proton Waja car – which was carrying a number of illegals – to the village where a double-decker express bus, believed to be heading for Perak, was parked there to pick up the foreigners,” he said in a statement yesterday.
Wan Mohammed Saupee said the two suspects were being detained at the Tanah Merah district police headquarters to facilitate the investigation.
Meanwhile, the 14 illegals, aged 19 to 38, from Myanmar who were found in the bus were sent to the Immigration Detention Depot in Tanah Merah for further action.
Meanwhile in PETALING JAYA, a foreign worker recruitment agent was charged in the sessions court here with three counts of human trafficking.
Yeu Shen Chwan, 42, is accused of committing the offences involving an Indonesian woman, Nuryetni Seko, 27, for the purpose of forced labour exploitation, between 11 March 2012, and 5 Feb 2016.
He allegedly committed the offences at three houses – in Bandar Putra Permai, Puchong; Bandar Puchong Utama; and Damansara Utama – under Section 13(b) of Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act 2007, which carries a jail term of up to 20 years and liable to a fine, upon conviction.
Deputy public prosecutor Shafiq Hasim did not propose bail as the accused was also facing another charge at another sessions court.
In mitigation, counsel P. G. Cyril – who represented the accused – requested for a lower bail as his client had a wife and three young children to support.
Judge Hilmiah Yusof set bail at RM10,000 for each charge, and Nov 28 for remention.
Yeu was also ordered to surrender his passport to the court and report to the nearest police station once a month.
– Bernama