KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 16 — The Immigration Department has busted a document forgery syndicate with the arrest of a Pakistani national, who is believed to be the mastermind, and seized various security stamps in a raid at a luxury condominium in Setapak last Friday.

 Its director-general, Datuk Khairul Dzaimee Daud, said the raiding team also uncovered a room at the premises which was turned into a laboratory to produce various fake security documents.

Among the items seized were a computer, a card printing machine, stickers for work permits for foreign workers (PLKS), Malaysian driving licences, visas of foreign countries and RM13,710 cash.

"The syndicate is believed to have been operating since last year, and charged between RM300 and RM500 for each PLKS sticker depending on the quality required by the customers, comprising mostly of Pakistani and Bangladesh nationals.

"For each forged driving license, the fee charged is RM50. The illegal activities had caused a loss in revenue for the government, especially in the form of foreign workers levy of up to millions of ringgit,” he said in a statement today.

He said the 37-year-old suspect was also believed to be using a valid PLKS from a cleaning company to enable him to move freely to carry out the illegal activities.

"Following questioning, the suspect led the Immigration team to another condominium in Jalan Genting Klang, which was rented for similar activities, where fake Social Visit Passes (PLS) and other fake immigration official stamps were seized.

"The suspect is also found to have rented several luxury condominium units to evade the authorities,” he said, adding the suspect was detained at the Semenyih Immigration Depot for further action. — Bernama