Pattani police crack down on cross-border migrant smuggling

Authorities in Thailand detained a man from Pattani province on charges of orchestrating the illegal transport of migrant workers into the country, subsequently facilitating their clandestine journey into neighbouring Malaysia. The Immigration Police disclosed the arrest of a 56 year old man named Abdullah, in the district of Nongjik, following a concerted effort to dismantle a human smuggling network.

The investigation, spearheaded by Lieutenant General Itthipol Itthisaronnachai, focused on a syndicate accused of routing Bangladeshi nationals through Cambodia into Thailand. The operation culminated in the apprehension of Abdullah, who is believed to be a key player in this illicit operation.

In a related incident, Jeh-Arong, another Thai national implicated in the same smuggling ring, was taken into custody last October. The 64 year old man named Jeh was intercepted in the Saiburi district of Pattani while transporting seven undocumented workers in a van.

During interrogation, Jeh-Arong admitted his role in the smuggling chain, which involved driving the migrants from the Thai-Cambodian border near Aranyaprathet in Sa Kaeo province to a holding location in Yaring district, Pattani. From there, the migrants would stealthily cross into Malaysia.

Jeh revealed that the journey for these workers began in Bangladesh, from where they flew to Cambodia. Upon arrival, an agency in Cambodia purportedly facilitated their illegal crossing into Thailand. For his services, Jeh claimed to receive a payment ranging between 100,000 to 140,000 baht for each migrant he successfully delivered to Pattani.

The recent arrest of Abdullah has shed more light on the operations of this smuggling gang. Itthipol disclosed that Abdullah had acknowledged his involvement in the crime. Further, Abdullah had been on the authorities’ radar for his suspected association with a group that, in 2021, was involved in smuggling individuals from Myanmar across the Pattani border into Malaysia.

The arrests of Abdullah and Jeh are part of a broader crackdown on human smuggling in Southeast Asia. Thailand, being a key transit country for migrants seeking to reach Malaysia, has seen numerous instances of such illegal activities.

The Thai government has been under international pressure to address human trafficking and has ramped up efforts to combat the smuggling of migrants, which often leads to exploitation and abuse.

The Immigration Police’s ongoing investigations aim to dismantle the networks that profit from the desperation of migrants. The case continues to unfold as authorities work to identify and apprehend other members of the smuggling syndicate.

Meanwhile, the accused await legal proceedings where the full extent of their alleged involvement in human smuggling will be scrutinized, reported Nation Thailand.