The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) foiled an attempt by 24 foreigners to sneak out from the state by using a sea route that is not gazetted on Saturday.

MMEA district director Captain Romli Mustafa said a patrol boat had stopped a suspicious passenger boat that was headed towards Sungai Haji Kuning at 2.15pm.

He said when checked, they found the boat loaded with Indonesians comprising a skipper and 23 passengers between the ages of 10 months to 54. Eight were men, five were women, three were boys and four were girls and a 10-month-old baby boy.

Romli said the skipper and two passengers had identification documents but were stamped out by the Immigration Department while the rest failed to show any identification documents.

He added that the skipper had committed an offense for overloading, transporting passengers without life jackets and using a sea route that is not allowed.

All those detained will be investigated under the Anti-Human Trafficking and Anti-Migrant Trafficking Act 2017 and the Immigration Act 1959/63.

Source:
courtesy of THE BORNEO POST

by BORNEO POST

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