An attempt by a local man to smuggle six Indonesian illegal immigrants through a rat trail here, yesterday, failed after they were arrested by the Marine police (PPM).

Tawau Marine Police Operations Base commanding officer DSP Mohd Nazari Ismail said the 28-year old local man and six Indonesians comprising four women and two male, aged between four and 57 years, were detained at Jalan Batu Payung, at 1.20 am, while travelling in a Proton Waja car.

He said all the suspects were brought to the Tawau Marine Police Operations Base for further investigations and the case is being investigated under Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants (ATIPSOM) Act 2007 (Amendment 2010).

Jalan Batu Payung is believed to be a transit point for illegal immigrants from Indonesia before moving to other districts.

Last month, the residents of Kampung Batu Payung thwarted an attempt to smuggle 20 Indonesians into Sabah, before handing them over to the police.

Meanwhile, the Third Battalion of the Royal Malay Regiment (3 RAMD) had detained eight Indonesian illegal migrants, comprising six men and two women, aged 19 to 54, in three operations in Serudong, Kalabakan, since Thursday.

The Fifth Malaysian Infantry Division headquarters in a statement yesterday said the first two men, who were working without valid permits in an oil palm plantation, were detained on Aug 20, at 6.50 pm.

“Following that, interrogation of the duo led to the arrest of two men and a woman who were waiting for a boat at the landing area, to go to Nunukan, Indonesia, yesterday, at 6.45 am.

“After that, 45 minutes later, another two men and a woman, who arrived on a boat from Nunukan, were arrested. They are believed to have come to work at a nearby plantation,” the statement said.

According to the statement, based on the initial investigation the boat was supposed to bring the three individuals detained earlier to Nunukan.

All detainees were brought to the Kalabakan police station for further investigation.

-- BERNAMA