TUMPAT: Police have arrested a 'tekong darat' (local term for those who harbour illegal immigrants) and detained 11 illegal immigrants here last night.
District police chief Assistant Commissioner Amran Dollah said all were arrested at Kampung Neting by a team of General Operations Force (GOF) from Eighth battalion.
"The GOF's strike force team went to the area at about 9.30pm after receiving public tip-offs on two vehicles suspected to have transported illegal immigrants.
"Arriving at the location, they spotted two suspected Proton Perdana passing Jalan Terbok-Kelaboran.
"But seeing the GOF's members, the two motorists had sped off in the vehicles.
"The GOF team then chased the two and managed to stop them later but one driver had escaped on foot," he said in a statement.
Amran said the GOF members managed to nab the second driver and upon further checks on the two cars, they found 11 illegal immigrants.
He said the 11 comprised six men and five women, all from Myanmar.
"The car driver, a local man believed to be a 'tekong darat' was also arrested.
"The 11 foreigners, aged between 20 and 41, did not have any valid travel document and had entered Malaysia illegally," he said.
He added the 30-year-old local with eight previous records, was being held for further action.
"He is a wanted person involved in cases under Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants (Atipsom)," he added.