Selangor: Eight Malaysian citizens are among 15 suspected ‘tekong darat’, or ground handlers of smuggling activities, who have been arrested by the police in raids conducted under the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants (ATIPSOM) Act in Selangor since Jan 1 this year.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, General Operations Force (GOF) Central Brigade Commander SAC Hakemal Hawari revealed that seven Indonesian ‘tekong darat’ and 224 illegal immigrants were also apprehended during this period. In addition, the raids conducted on June 21 and July 22 led to the seizure of drugs suspected to be syabu, weighing 10.355 kilogrammes, and 3.6 kilogrammes of ecstasy pills, along with vehicles. The total value of these seizures is estimated to be worth RM1.5 million.

The arrests and seizures resulted from various strategic enforcement approaches targeting smuggling activities, especially in Malaysian waters along the Selangor coast and the west coast of Johor. Hakemal stated that a total of 288 raids were conducted during the same period across Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya, Negeri Sembilan, Melaka, and Johor.

The efforts led to the arrest of 1,005 individuals and seizures valued at RM1.1 billion. Hakemal emphasized that this success demonstrates the GOF’s commitment to combating crimes that threaten the country’s security and well-being. He urged the public to assist security forces by reporting criminal activities to ensure the country’s borders remain secure from encroachment and illegal activities.