KUCHING: Police have foiled a tekong’s (local transporter) bid to smuggle seven Indonesian immigrants from Bintulu to Lundu.
Padawan deputy police chief DSP Lim Jaw Shyong said they were arrested at a roadblock along Jalan Batu Kitang-Bau at 10.35am on Thursday (July 8).
All the suspects aged between 21 and 46, were detained for inspection after being found to be violating the passenger capacity of the vehicle.
The driver (tekong) of the vehicle and three passengers had inter-district travel permits while four others did not have any travel documents.
“During inspection, police found the permit purportedly issued by Betong police, dubious.
“Examination with Betong police found that there had been additional content on the driver’s form without the knowledge of the officer who approved the permit.
A transporter’s bid to smuggle seven Indonesian men out from Bintulu to Lundu, were thwarted after Padawan police found them violating the passenger capacity at Jalan Batu Kitang-Bau on Thursday. 
“Meanwhile, three other travel permits were forged as it was allegedly issued by Tanjung Kidurong police. However, they (Tanjung Kidurong police) confirmed that no permits were issued to the three passengers,” he said.
Further checks also found that the social visit periods for the immigrants’ passports had expired and one of them had his work permit revoked.
Lim added that the transporter had rented a vehicle to transport the immigrants back to their country and received a RM3,500 payment from them (RM500 per person).
He said the suspects are being detained at Siburan police lock-up for further investigation.
The case is being investigated under Section 22 (d) of the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act 1988 (Act 342), Regulation 17 (1) of Measures Within Local Areas of Infection (National Rehabilitation Plan) 2021 and the Immigration Act 1959/63.
