Fake passport syndicate busted, three Indonesians held

PETALING JAYA – The Immigration Department has broken up a travel document forgery syndicate with the arrest of three Indonesian nationals, including a man believed to be the mastermind, in a special operation at Taman Sri Kuching and Taman Bukit Cheras here yesterday.

The raids, which began at about 11pm, were carried out by officers from the Intelligence and Special Operations Division of the Immigration headquarters in Putrajaya, following a month of intelligence work and information from the public.

Immigration Director-General Datuk Zakaria Shaaban said the operation led to the detention of an Indonesian man believed to be the syndicate's mastermind, along with another man and a woman of the same nationality believed to be syndicate members.

"Initial checks found that the mastermind held a Temporary Employment Visit Pass (PLKS) for the construction sector, while the two other foreigners were found to have overstayed," he said in a statement today.

He said checks also uncovered and led to the seizure of 119 suspected forged passports — 85 Indonesian, 22 Myanmar, seven Bangladeshi, two Vietnamese, two Indian and one Nepali.

"Also seized were a printing machine, several mobile phones and RM1,500 in cash believed to be proceeds of the syndicate's activities," he said.

Zakaria said the syndicate offered its services to foreign nationals in the Klang Valley who had failed the foreign worker medical screening (FOMEMA) or were classified as unfit.

"The forged passports would be amended or modified so they could be used during the health screening process. The fee charged was between RM80 and RM130 for each passport," he said.

He added that this was the fifth arrest involving a syndicate using the same modus operandi, believed to have been active since early this year.

The alleged mastermind is being investigated under Section 12(1)(f) of the Immigration Act 1959/63, while the two other suspects are being investigated under Section 6(1)(c) of the same act.