KUCHING: The Immigration Department arrested a man known as ‘Pak Itam’, who is believed to be the mastermind behind the influx of illegal immigrants into the state, early yesterday morning.
Sarawak Immigration director Datuk Ken Leben (pix) said yesterday that the suspect was detained along with two Indonesians in a van, which was stopped by the department’s Quick Response Team (QRT), in Bintulu, 515km north from here, at about 1.30am.
“Based on the information from the arrest, it was found that ‘Pak Itam’ is the mastermind behind the influx of illegal immigrants into the state,” he said in the statement.
He added that the case was related to the arrest of illegal immigrants in Jalan Lundu, in southern Sarawak on Nov 18.
Following the arrest of the mastermind, he said the Immigration QRT then raided a house in Jalan Sibiyu, Bintulu and nabbed 12 Indonesians who are believed to have entered the state illegally.
He said the detainees, who were believed to have been brought into Sarawak by the main suspect, had just arrived at the premises a few hours before the raid.
The case is being investigated under the Immigration Act 1959/63.-Bernama
