Saini (centre) accompanied by Abdul Adzis (left) and Sahamran seen showing photos of the seizures recorded during the first six months of this year during the press conference.
KUCHING (July 5): The General Operations Force (GOF) Sarawak Brigade has seized goods worth RM27.27 million in the first six months of this year, with contraband cigarettes recording the highest seizure value, said its commander SAC Saini Bongkek.
Saini said the value of the seizure involving contraband cigarettes amounted to about RM16.39 million, followed by logs worth 4.93 million and vehicles worth RM4.45 million.
“We also managed to seize smuggled liquor worth RM562,526.99, drugs RM28,865, protected wildlife and plants worth RM222,000 as well as other items worth RM691,067.63,” he said during a press conference held at the GOF headquarters in Batu Kawah here today.
Apart from that, Saini said the GOF Sarawak Brigade conducted a total of 229 raids and 754 arrests and deportations during the same period.
He said a total of 149 locals (consisting of 128 men and 21 women) and a total of 169 foreigners (consisting of 137 men and 32 women) who were involved in various cases have also been arrested.
Besides that, he said a total of 436 undocumented Indonesians consisting of 367 men and 69 women were deported.
Saini said all of arrests or seizures were investigated under various acts such as the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act (Atipsom) 2007, Immigration Act 1963, Customs Act 1967, Dangerous Drugs Act 1952, Sarawak Forest Ordinance 2015, Sarawak Wildlife Protection Ordinance 1998 and other acts.
“Investigations found that the locals who were caught in the operations were acting either as senders or ground coordinators.
“They send the illegal immigrants to destinations as determined by the syndicate and they are believed to receive a minimum payment of RM300 for each trip to bring illegal immigrants into the country through various means including walking and transporting them using vehicles.”
Saini said the syndicate often changes their modus operandi to bring in illegal immigrants into the country, as it is managed by the masterminds who use their network in Malaysia to arrange the travel and temporary transit points.
“They always monitor the situation in the surrounding areas and know the movements of the security forces on duty in the border area,” he added.
Saini said the areas of Kuching, Serian and Sri Aman Divisions are believed to be among the hotspots for illegal immigrants due to several factors such as the high demand and employment opportunities in the country’s manufacturing, plantation, and construction sectors.
“There are also other attractive factors for these illegal immigrants who come to the country, because they think that coming to the country can ensure a more comfortable and safer livelihood for them,” he added.
Also present at the press conference were Sarawak GOF Brigade Deputy Commander ACP Shaikh Abdul Adzis Shaikh Abdullah and GOF Sarawak Brigade Operation/Intelligence Staff Officer DSP Sahamran Ibrahim.