KLANG: A foreign woman believed to be behind a syndicate smuggling undocumented foreigners in and out of the country for over three years has finally been arrested.

       The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) got wind of her activities and began monitoring the syndicate for several months before they arrested her.

       Selangor MMEA director Maritime Capt Mohammad Rosli Kassim said the 56-year-old woman was arrested at a flat in Kuchai Lama on the same day his personnel arrested 25 foreigners who were allegedly on their way out of Malaysia using illegal means on Nov 5.

       “The woman who goes by the name Ibu Ani was believed to have offered services to undocumented foreigners who wanted to return home or come into Malaysia for between RM1,500 and RM2,000 per trip.

       “At around 4.45am on Nov 5, we arrested 25 foreigners and six agents near Pulau Angsa.

       “Our investigations revealed the foreigners were just being trafficked out of Malaysia,” he told reporters yesterday

       He said the suspect was believed to have been operating the syndicate here for over three years.

       “We believe the syndicate would take three days to ferry those who wanted to go home once payment was made.

       “They would first bring them to a halfway house before transferring them to another transit house via e-hailing, before they were taken to a beach where they would board a boat to go home.

       “The syndicate is believed to use the same e-hailing drivers to ferry their clients around,” he said, adding that three of the e-hailing drivers were among the six agents arrested.

       He said investigation revealed this syndicate was part of a larger human trafficking network operating out of a coastal town in Indonesia.

       “We seized a boat, two vans, a multipurpose vehicle, and several cellphones worth at least RM450,000.

       “Ibu Ani has been remanded for 14 days while the three e-hailing drivers have been remanded for three days to help with investigations,” he said adding that the case will be investigated under the Anti Trafficking in Persons and Smuggling of Migrants Act.

       Those with information on similar activities should contact MMEA at 03-8943 4001 or the National Task Force at 011-6251 1223.