Malaysian police have intercepted human traffickers they say modified a tanker to smuggle undocumented migrants to New Zealand and Australia.
Malaysian Police say the tanker was carrying 131 Sri Lankans headed for New Zealand and Australia. Photo: Royal Malaysia Police
Authorities said the tanker was carrying 131 Sri Lankans when it was intercepted on Tuesday.
There were 98 men, 24 women, four boys and five girls.
Photo: Royal Malaysia Police
The Singapore-based ChannelNewsAsia reports the tanker had the name Etra painted on its side.
Three Indonesians and four Malaysians on a fishing boat used to transport the migrants to the vessel were also arrested.
Malaysia's national police chief Mohamad Fuzi Harun said the large-scale and cunning human smuggling syndicate had been operating for a year and had connections in New Zealand, as well as in Sri Lanka, Australia, Indonesia and Malaysia.
Immigration Minister Ian Lees-Galloway has thanked Malaysian authorities for their work, saying the interception sent a clear message to people smugglers.
Mr Lees-Galloway said lives had been put at extreme risk.
He said the act was not tolerated by New Zealand and the exploitation of the individuals on board was repugnant.
