Two locals nabbed for smuggling 50 illegal immigrants

More undocumented immigrants were detained at the Kelantan/Thai border for entering the country illegally.

The latest was yesterday when police nabbed 50 of them in an operation at Kampung Jelakong here.

Tanah Merah police chief Superintendent Wan Zulkifri Wan Othman said two locals were also arrested in the operation for smuggling them into the country.

He said a police team from the district’s Criminal Investigations Department raided a shophouse in the village following tip-offs.

“During the 5.30pm raid, the team rounded up 43 men and seven women inside the shophouse. All of them did not have any travel documents.

“Police later detained the two locals, aged 48 and 65,” he said in a statement.

Wan Zulfikri said initial investigations showed that they had entered Kelantan via the many illegal jetties along the border.

He said police also seized a four-wheel-drive vehicle suspected to be used in the activities.

He said the illegal immigrants, aged 18 to 45, were being held for further action.

NST