A replica of a campsite erected at the jungle training ground. – Photo by Roystein Emmor
KUCHING (Oct 29): A live demonstration on border control operations was conducted at the General Operations Force (GOF) jungle training ground in Batu Kawa yesterday morning.
Showcasing their mettle were the Tiger Platoon unit from GOF Sarawak who demonstrated the methods and protocols of their border control operation along the Sarawak-Indonesia border.
A replica of a campsite was erected at the training ground to show how the GOF units rest and plan their daily operations which are focused on illegal immigrants and the smuggling of drugs, cigarettes and alcohol.
“During border control operations and faced with illegal immigrants, we have to be on our toes and ready for any kind of possibilities,” said GOF Sarawak Brigade commander SAC Saini Bongkek at a press conference after the demonstration.
He added that GOF Sarawak has uncovered several forms of the modus operandi used by smugglers and illegal immigrants which reflects the dedication of the brigade along the border.
Patrols are conducted along ‘hot spot’ stretches along the Sarawak-Indonesia border in Kuching, Serian and Sri Aman divisions which totalled to about 476 kilometres, he said.
General Operations Force (GOF) Sarawak platoon doing a live demonstration on border control operations at the jungle training ground in Batu Kawa on Oct 28, 2021. – Video by Roystein Emmor
Between Jan 1 and Oct 27, GOF Sarawak has conducted a total of 359 raids, resulting in the seizure of cigarettes, vehicles, drugs, fuel, timber and plants worth RM47.39 million.
Within the same period, a total of 211 local suspects (186 male and 42 female) were arrested for their alleged involvement in smuggling of goods or illegal immigrants into the state.
Also arrested were 256 illegal immigrants who were found together with the local suspects.
Besides the arrests, a total of 741 illegal immigrants comprising 613 males and 128 females and children were ordered to turn back to their home country between Jan 1 and Oct 27.
“The reason for us to order these illegal immigrants to turn back to their own country is to lessen the burden of our lock-up capacity and to deter the spread of the Covid-19 virus,” said Saini.
Those arrested, he added, are investigated under different Acts such as the Immigration Act 1963, Customs Act 1967, Dangerous Drugs Act 1952, Anti-Trafficking in Persons and the Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act 2007 (Atipsom).
from Borneo Post Online https://ift.tt/3Bp42aX
via IFTTT
No comments:
Post a Comment