By: Nurul Fazliana Norman
CHANGLUN: Oct 27, 2026 — An attempt to smuggle a foreign national to the Malaysia-Thailand border using executive taxi services was foiled by the Kedah Immigration Department in Ops Serkap here, after a sport utility vehicle (SUV) was intercepted while heading north.
The operation, carried out by the Kedah Immigration Department’s Intelligence and Special Operations Division, involved tracking and tailing the SUV from the North-South Expressway before the vehicle was intercepted.
An inspection found three individuals inside the vehicle, comprising two Malaysian citizens—a man and a woman—and a Chinese national.
Both Malaysian citizens are suspected of offences under the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act 2007 (Act 670), while the Chinese national is suspected of an offence under the Immigration Act 1959/63.
According to the Kedah Immigration Department, the modus operandi was believed to involve the use of executive taxi services to transport foreign nationals from Kuala Lumpur to the Malaysia-Thailand border area via unofficial routes or illegal paths.
Payment for the service is believed to have been made through online transactions.
During the operation, the immigration authorities also seized five mobile phones, a People’s Republic of China passport, two Malaysian identity cards and an SUV to assist further investigations.
A remand application against the suspects under Section 117 of the Criminal Procedure Code was granted by the Jitra Magistrates’ Court for three days to allow further investigations to be carried out.
The Kedah Immigration Department is continuing investigations to identify and track down other individuals believed to be involved in providing services to transport foreign nationals to the border illegally.
Efforts to trace other suspected individuals, particularly Malaysian citizens providing such services, are being actively carried out.
The Kedah Immigration Department stressed that enforcement action will continue to be intensified to eradicate migrant smuggling activities and immigration law violations.
The public is also urged not to be involved in any illegal activities and to channel related information to the authorities.
Source: Kedah Immigration Department
