PASIR MAS: Police arrested 46 illegal immigrants from Myanmar in two separate raids here.

       OCPD Asst Comm Mohd Nasaruddin M Nasir said the individuals, aged between 11 and 44, were detained after failing to produce valid documents.

       They were suspected to have just entered the country.

       In the first raid at an unnumbered shoplot in Jalan Pusu 40 at 4.45pm on Monday, police found one boy and five girls, aged 11 to 17, hiding in the premises.

       “They were taken to the Pasir Mas police station for further action,” he said in a statement.

       ACP Mohd Nasaruddin said all of them admitted that they were smuggled in by a Thai man using a vehicle a day earlier and had been staying in the shoplot without permission.

       In a separate raid at about 10pm on Monday in Kampung Sapi, Jeram Perdah, police arrested 40 Myanmar nationals – 29 men and 11 women aged between 14 and 44 – who were hiding in some bushes.

       “They tried to escape but failed. They are suspected to have entered the country through the Jeram Perdah 2 illegal base,” he said.

       The immigrants are believed to be heading to Kuala Lumpur for work.

       Further investigations are being carried out to track down the mastermind.

       The case will be investigated under Section 26J of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act and Section 6(1)(c) of the Immigration Act. — Bernama