RANTAU PANJANG: The case of four Myanmar nationals found in possession of passports without immigration entry stamps suggests they may have been duped by job agent syndicates.
General Operations Force (GOF) Southeast Brigade commander Datuk Nik Ros Azhan Nik Abd Hamid said the four were among 36 undocumented Myanmar nationals detained on a tour bus during an operation in Serongga early this morning.
“We strongly believe these illegal immigrants were brought into the country through unauthorised routes, not official entry points.
“It is a common modus operandi for agents or tekong darat (a local term for those harbouring illegal immigrants) to collect foreign workers at the border and transport them into Malaysia.
“Their passports are left unstamped to make them appear valid if inspected later.
“So, it is likely that these individuals were deceived by job agents who promised them legal entry,” he said.
Nik Ros Azhan said the case would be referred to the Immigration Department for further investigation, as it involves immigration offences such as unlawful entry, misuse of passports, or potential exploitation by syndicates.
He added that this was not the first such case detected this year.
“Passports without entry stamps are a recurring issue, especially along the Kelantan–Thailand border,” he said.
Yesterday, the GOF foiled an attempt to smuggle 36 Myanmar nationals, including the four with unstamped passports, into Kelantan.
All detainees, including the Malaysian bus driver, who is suspected of acting as a tekong darat, are currently under police investigation.
© New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd
