Nine detained under ISA for human trafficking

[Gundam]

Published: Wednesday October 13, 2010 MYT 2:09:00 PM

Nine detained under ISA for human trafficking

KUALA LUMPUR: Seven Immigration Department officials and two foreigners have been detained under the Internal Security Act for alleged involvement in human trafficking, Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Ismail Omar said Wednesday. The nine were arrested at various places between Sunday and Tuesday, he told reporters at a press conference here. He added that police were also making all efforts to ensure Malaysia was not used as transit point by foreigners for their criminal activities.

More to come

 

[chobolan]

Seven officers held under ISA


Thursday October 14, 2010

Seven officers held under ISA

KUALA LUMPUR: Seven Immigration Department officers and two foreigners have been detained under the Internal Security Act (ISA) for alleged involvement in human trafficking. Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Ismail Omar said all nine were arrested at different locations between Sunday and Tuesday. However, Ismail refused to reveal more information on the detention and identity of the suspects.

“The arrests will enable us to investigate the syndicate’s activities,” he told reporters yesterday. Ismail said if no stern action had been taken, the situation could have posed a threat to national and regional security. “Irresponsible parties might take the opportunity to get involved in criminal activities such as terrorism, firearms and drugs smuggling.”

Ismail said police were also making efforts to ensure Malaysia was not used as a transit point by foreigners for their criminal activities. On Oct 4, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) arrested five Immigration Department officers for allegedly allowing foreigners without proper travel documents into the country.

They were arrested at Pulau Ketam Jetty and in various places in Klang. Two other officers were also arrested in Port Dickson for allegedly receiving bribes and permitting the unlawful entry of foreigners. The authorities also arrested several runners for syndicates linked to the officers. The MACC also found almost RM100,000 on the officers and the runners.

 

[Red 3]

Detained Immigration officials colluded with syndicates: Hishammuddin


Published: Thursday October 14, 2010 MYT 7:20:00 PM

Detained Immigration officials colluded with syndicates: Hishammuddin

KUALA LUMPUR: The seven immigration officers held under the Internal Security Act (ISA) had colluded with heads of dangerous syndicates that posed a threat to national security, Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein revealed Thursday. Their involvement was not restricted to human trafficking but encompassed various other serious crimes, such as terrorist activities, smuggling firearms, drugs and espionage, he said. Hishammuddin said he wanted the investigation into the case to continue to ensure that such activities were crippled.

"They (the officers) had been monitored for some time by the police. Their involvement with the heads of the syndicates is most dangerous and a serious matter," he told reporters after Australian Minister of Immigration and Citizenship Chris Bowen called on him at his office at the Bukit Aman federal police headquarters, here. "I view with concern these cases of (human) trafficking because it involves security at points of entry into the country and tarnishes the good name of the country as well as threatens security in the region," he said.

The seven immigration officers, one of them a deputy assistant director, were arrested under the ISA in a large-scale operation over three days from Sunday. Two foreigners, whose identities were not disclosed, have also been held under the ISA. It is learnt that all the immigration officers had been serving at the KL International Airport (KLIA) and the Low-Cost Carrier Terminal (LCCT) in Sepang.

Hishammuddin said their detention could expose as well as restrict the activities of human trafficking syndicates. "Human trafficking is a crime, and the responsibility vested with our enforcement authorities, regardless of which department they come from, must be upheld," he said. He also defended the majority of the immigration officers, saying they discharged their duties and responsibilities with honesty and sincerity. - Bernama

 

[chobolan]

Seven immigration officers will remain in custody to facilitate probe


Friday October 15, 2010

Seven immigration officers will remain in custody to facilitate probe

By FLORENCE A. SAMY

[email protected]
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KUALA LUMPUR: The seven immigration officers arrested under the Internal Security Act (ISA) will continue to be held until they are charged in court. Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein, who disclosed this, said their detention along with two foreigners was to facilitate an in-depth and thorough investigation into various crimes that affected national security such as human trafficking.

He described their crimes as serious and dangerous, and said more would be revealed in due course. “We have been monitoring these officers and syndicate heads for quite a while. It would have been very serious if we had not acted,” he said after meeting Australian Immigration and Citizenship Minister Chris Bowen in Bukit Aman yesterday. The nine were detained at different locations between Sunday and Tuesday.

Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Ismail Omar had refused to reveal more information on the detention and identity of the suspects. Hishammuddin said that irresponsible officers should not be allowed to man entry points as it would not only threaten national security but also open the floodgates to regional and global crimes such as smuggling of weapons, drugs and money-laundering. “Such crimes can also cause security threats to neighbouring countries and the region.

In time, you will know the reason why we had to take such drastic action. We want to see them brought to court after that,” he said. Hishammuddin added that the transfer of the Immigration director-general Datuk Abdul Rahman Othman had nothing to do with the case and was part of a normal reshuffle. The ministry’s under-secretary for immigration affairs Datuk Alias Ahmad will take over the post effective today.

The minister’s meeting with Bowen touched on current and future cooperation including border control and the use of the biometric system.
Meanwhile, PAS Youth chief Khairul Faizi Ahmad Kamil said it was “unacceptable” to detain the immigration officers under the ISA when there were laws such as the Anti-Human Trafficking Act which provided punishment for human smuggling. “They should be charged in an open court. Laws are meant to be followed and not just for display,” he said in a statement.