KOTA BARU: A human-trafficking syndicate is suspected of recruiting motorcycle riders to transport illegal migrants from transit houses to express bus terminals here.
Its activities have been disrupted following the recent crackdown by the Immigration Department at local bus stations.
A check by NST at the main express bus terminal in Lembah Sireh here last night saw the presence of only a few foreigners, who were waiting for the express buses to arrive.
It is believed that the illegal migrants had been sent to the terminal by local motorcycle riders hired by the syndicate.
A sundry shop owner who only wanted to be known as Mat Ju said he noticed that lately, only a few foreigners had taken express buses to go out of the state.
"After the Immigration has conducted their checks here last week, many foreigners decided not to take the express buses anymore to go to their destinations.
"They fear being arrested by the authorities.
"Before this, we could see around 10 to 20 foreigners using the bus services in a night to go to Kuala Lumpur and Johor, but now, the number has dropped to fewer than five," he added.
The 45-year-old believed those who were still using express bus services could be those with valid travel documents.
It was reported yesterday that a human-trafficking syndicate was crippled with the arrest of two Malaysian men and 33 illegal migrants in Kelantan recently. (https://www.nst.com.my/news/crime-courts/2024/06/1063963/migrant-smuggli...)
Immigration director-general Datuk Ruslin Jusoh today said the illegals were nabbed in Kubang Kerian and Lembah Sireh here on June 10.
Ruslin said 19 Special Tactical Unit (Pastak) members, along with the Kelantan Immigration border risk unit, were mobilised to track a group of illegals.
Ruslin said the syndicate is believed to have changed its modus operandi by recruiting motorcycle riders to transport illegal migrants from transit houses to express bus terminals in Lembah Sireh.
"This is to expedite the movement of illegals to areas outside Kelantan and to avoid detection by the authorities," he said.
Ruslin said the syndicate charged the illegal migrants between RM2,000 and RM3,000 each for ferrying them to Kuala Lumpur or other cities.