Police arrest 81 illegal immigrants in palm oil theft crackdown

New Straits Times

12 hours ago

TELUK INTAN: A total of 81 illegal immigrants were detained by police in Operation Helang Hilir Phase 2, conducted early this morning, on suspicion of being involved in stealing oil palm fruits in the district.
Hilir Perak district police chief, Assistant Commissioner Dr Bakri Zainal Abidin, said all those arrested were Indonesian men aged between 20 and 56, caught during raids on 19 premises, including plantations and workers' quarters at oil palm estates.
He said the raids on premises in Langkap, Labu Kubong, Chui Chak, and Teluk Intan began at 1am today, based on information and intelligence gathered by the police.
"This operation is a continuation of integrated actions aimed at curbing economic losses due to agricultural product theft in this district.
"It is intended to combat the increasingly rampant theft of oil palm fruits involving foreign nationals," he said in a statement today.
He added that 56 of the illegal immigrants had no valid identification documents, while the remaining 25 held permits or visitor passes that had already expired.
The case is being investigated under Section 379 of the Penal Code for theft which carries which carries a penalty of up to seven years' imprisonment, a fine, or both, upon conviction.