Quoting sources, the report said the syndicates, made up of Thais and Malaysians, charged between RM2,500 and RM3,500 to smuggle in a migrant.
“The syndicates are willing to face the risk of arrest because of the profit. From the border, the illegal immigrants will be ferried to destinations such as Kuala Lumpur and Pahang.
“The traffickers will bring in illegal immigrants, mostly from Myanmar and Bangladesh, via Sungai Golok and move along hidden trails before sending them to their next destination in a car or van,” a source told the NST.
The report quoted Border Security Agency commander for Kelantan Mohd Asri Yahya as saying that, on average, 15 migrants were believed to be smuggled into Malaysia by the syndicates on a daily basis, based on arrest records.
“These syndicates will use isolated areas between Panglima Bayu and Rantau Panjang here as entry points. We believe that the syndicates have doubled their illegal human cargo through Sungai Golok during recent floods,” he said.
Asri said the agency would continue its operations to curb human trafficking and other smuggling activities.
The NST quoted a source as saying the traffickers would normally move at night through isolated areas along the border to avoid detection.
The source said the syndicate members would also change their modus operandi from time to time to confuse the authorities, adding that it was difficult for the authorities to pinpoint their movement as there were more than 150 “rat routes” along the border.