Malaysian Maritime Agency Foils Entry Of 15 Foreign Migrants In Port Dickson Waters

PORT DICKSON, May 5 (Bernama) -- The Melaka and Negeri Sembilan Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) foiled an attempt by 15 Indonesian migrants, including a skipper, to enter the country via the waters off Port Dickson early this morning.

Its director, Maritime Captain Salehuddin Zakaria, said the arrests were made following intelligence on migrant smuggling activities through non-gazetted routes.

He said in the incident at about 3.40 am, a patrol boat conducting a routine patrol intercepted a suspicious unregistered ‘pancung’ boat about 0.5 nautical miles southwest of Pantai Cahaya Negeri.

“Inspection found eight men and seven women, aged between 20 and 46, on board the vessel without any valid travel documents to enter the country.

“Besides the arrests, a thorough inspection of the boat also uncovered a dismantled Colt pistol along with five live rounds,” he said in a statement here today.

He said all seized items and detained individuals were brought to the Melaka and Negeri Sembilan Maritime Headquarters jetty for further action, and the case is being investigated under the Immigration Act 1959/63, the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants (ATIPSOM) Act 2007, and the Firearms Act 1971.

-- BERNAMA