General Operations Force (GOF) Ninth Battalion commanding officer Nor Azizan Yusof said all the women, aged between 24 and 39, were caught for entering the country illegally.

In the first incident at 11pm on Friday, he said a GOF team on patrol stopped a Proton Wira driven by a 32-year-old man in Kampung Kubang Kual, Pasir Mas.

On inspection, police found four Thai women who had expired passports.

“Further inspection showed the women had entered the country through an illegal base in Rantau Panjang. The local man was the agent to take them to a specific location.”

All involved were detained and taken to the Rantau Panjang police station for further action, he said.

Following the incident, Nor Azizan said the team raided a chalet in Kampung Paya Pasir near Wakaf Bharu, Tumpat, at 5am yesterday where a 59-year-old man was detained.

“After an investigation, they found four Thai women without any documents in another chalet.

“We also seized a Honda City near the location, suspected of being used in the activity.”

Nor Azizan said the case would be investigated under Section 26J of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act 2007 and Section 6(1) of the Immigration Act 1959/63.

“All the women are believed to be looking for jobs in the country following the government’s relaxation of the movement control order and the opening of the economic sector,” he said.