Human-smuggling ring leader suspect arrested

[Toshiie Maeda]

Human-smuggling ring leader suspect arrested
By Wayne Chan | Posted: 14 January 2011 1117 hrs
<table align="right" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="260"> <tbody><tr> <td align="right" width="20"></td> <td align="right" width="240">

</td> </tr> <tr> <td height="60" valign="top"></td> <td class="update" height="80" valign="top"> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"> <tbody><tr> <td bgcolor="#f6f6f6" width="138">Photos </td> <td bgcolor="#f6f6f6" width="47">1 of 1</td> <td bgcolor="#f6f6f6" width="18"><input disabled="disabled" id="btnPrev" value="<< Previous" src="http://www.channelnewsasia.com/images/butt_previous.gif" height="15" type="image" width="18"></td> <td bgcolor="#f6f6f6" width="19"><input id="bntPlay" value="Play - Stop" src="http://www.channelnewsasia.com/images/butt_stop.gif" height="15" type="image" width="19"></td> <td bgcolor="#f6f6f6" width="18"><input disabled="disabled" id="btnNext" value=" Next >> " src="http://www.channelnewsasia.com/images/butt_next.gif" height="15" type="image" width="18"></td> </tr> </tbody></table>

</td> </tr> <tr> <td></td> <td class="update"></td> </tr> <tr> <td></td> <td>
</td> </tr> </tbody></table>
SINGAPORE: Singapore police have arrested a 38-year-old Malaysian who is suspected of being a human smuggling syndicate leader.

Zulkifly Muhammad was the 13th human smuggler arrested in the last 26 months.

This is the fifth syndicate that the Singapore Police have smashed with the help of their Malaysian counterparts.

The suspect was arrested on January 11 and brought back to Singapore the day after for further investigations.

Pulau Merambong, a Malaysian island just two minutes or 1.5km away from Singapore, is one of the areas used by the human smuggling syndicates to evade surveillance.

They also hide behind fish farms while waiting for the right time to enter Singapore waters.

Singapore police had been tracking Zulkifly for a year. He was believed to have been operating an illegal human smuggling business from Sungei Pok, near Kampung Ladang in western Johor.

Operating in the wee hours of the morning, between 5am and 7am, Zulkifly was paid about 800 ringgit per illegal immigrant. He is believed to have ferried illegal immigrants by sea into Singapore through the northern Johor Strait using a team of three boatmen.

One of his boatmen was arrested last April.

Police said a new 4.6km layer of "anti-cut" fencing erected around the Tuas area last year has deterred such smuggling operations.

- CNA/fa/ir