PUTRAJAYA, Oct 2 — The Immigration Department said it has smashed a syndicate forging documents with the arrest of 33 Indonesians in five raids in Klang, Selangor and Chow Kit, Kuala Lumpur yesterday.
Its deputy director-general (Operations) Mohamad Fauzi Md Isa said those arrested included three men, aged between 38 and 41, believed to be the masterminds, a 25-year-old “runner” and two two-year-old boys.
“This syndicate was forging various Malaysian immigration stamps and documents. Their customers were Indonesians wishing to return to their home country,” he told a press conference here today.
The syndicate advertised its services through flyers and middlemen, charging between RM100 and RM1,500 per transaction.
Some 500 Indonesians had used its services since it started operating in the Klang Valley about a year ago, Mohamad Fauzi added.
Among the items seized from the syndicate are 18 units of Malaysian Immigration stamps, 20 units of Malaysian Immigration exit stamps, five units of forged Pas Khas, five pieces of fake Cetakan Pas Khas Imigresen, 62 units of various entry/exit chops from Indonesia, China, Singapore and Thailand, 33 Indonesian passports, 23 Surat Perjalanan Laksana Pasport (SPLP), 36 forged Surat Keputusan Covid-19, and two fake letters from the Malaysian Health Ministry.
Mohamad Fauzi said the seized Indonesian passports and SPLP would be sent to the Indonesian embassy for verification.
He said the three masterminds and one runner would be investigated under Section 55D of the Immigration Act 1959/63 for document forgery and Section 6(1)© for staying in Malaysia without a valid pass.
They will also be probed under Section 26A of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act 2007.
The other suspects will be investigated for staying in Malaysia without a valid pass or overstaying.
Mohamad Fauzi said the suspects would all be placed at the Lenggeng Immigration Detention Depot in Negri Sembilan. — Bernama
