Immigration officer nabbed

Female suspect held for alleged links to human smuggling

A senior Johor Immigration Department officer has been arrested for alleged involvement in human smuggling activities.

State police chief Comm Datuk Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay said the 50-year-old officer was arrested on Wednesday.

“We detained the suspect in the afternoon at her workplace following information that we received through interrogation of three immigration officers who were arrested on June 23,” he said.

At a press conference held at the Johor police headquarters yesterday, he said they believed the modus operandi of the syndicate was to provide fake immigration stamps to Indonesians who had overstayed in Malaysia.

It was reported on June 23 that police arrested three Immigration Department officers working at the Pasir Gudang ferry terminal.

They would provide an entry and exit stamp, believed to be fake, to help immigrants from Indonesia whose social visit pass had expired for more than a year.

Comm Ayob said the suspect would be investigated under Section 26A of the AntiTrafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act.

“So far, we have arrested 23 enforcement officers for their involvement in human smuggling activities along the east coast area of Johor,” he added.

Comm Ayob pointed out that among those arrested were 14 policemen, five army personnel and four immigration officers.

“This is a warning to officers who think they are above the law just because of their rank and position within an enforcement agency.

“We do not care about your rank because if you are involved in illegal activities, in particular human smuggling, the police will come after you,” he added.