Immigration nabs masterminds of 2 fake passport syndicates

 

The raids exposed two document forgery syndicates catering to foreigners without valid documents in the country. (Facebook pic)

PETALING JAYA: The immigration department has arrested the suspected masterminds of two syndicates offering fake passports and documents to foreigners.

Immigration director-general Ruslin Jusoh said three raids were conducted yesterday, two in Petaling Jaya and one along Jalan Alor, Kuala Lumpur, following complaints and subsequent investigations.

He said the forgery syndicates catered to foreigners without valid documents in the country.

Ruslin Jusoh.

Ruslin said a 31-year-old Bangladeshi national, believed to be the mastermind behind a “recalibration syndicate”, was arrested in a raid at 10pm yesterday in Petaling Jaya. He did not possess valid documents.

Ruslin said in this raid, immigration officers seized RM2,000, 188 Bangladesh passports, five Indonesian passports, four Indian passports, four Pakistani passports, four Nepalese passports, one Thai passport, application forms for the workforce recalibration programme (RTK 2.0) and a laptop.

He said the syndicate offered its services to people who had no identification documents or visas.

A Malaysian woman was also summoned to assist in the investigation.

RTK 2.0 is a special programme that aims to legalise undocumented migrants so that they can work for qualified employers, subject to strict conditions set by the immigration department.

Ruslin said the syndicate, which targeted nationals from Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Indonesia, Nepal and Thailand, was believed to have been operating for a year.

They charged each person RM7,000.

The raid on the other syndicate saw the arrests of an Indian national and three Bangladeshis.

It targeted foreigners from Bangladesh, India and Pakistan without valid documents or visas.

“The suspects offered fake passports, temporary visit permits and Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) cards,” Ruslin said.

This syndicate, which had been operating for a year, charged RM1,000 for each passport copy and RM500 for each temporary visit pass or CIDB card.

The raids in Jalan Alor and Petaling Jaya saw the seizure of four legitimate Indian passports, one Indian passport suspected to be fake, one legitimate Pakistani passport, one suspected fake Pakistani passport, one legitimate Bangladeshi passport, 26 suspected fake temporary working visit passes, two suspected fake CIDB cards, two laptops and a printer.

Ruslin said the suspects in both cases were detained under the Immigration Act 1959/63, Passport Act 1966 and Immigration Regulations 1963. They are being held at the immigration depot in Putrajaya for further investigations. - FMT