KUALA LUMPUR: The Immigration Department has smashed a Bangladeshi all-in-the-family syndicate producing fake Temporary Employment Pass (PLKS), E-card and Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) card with the arrest of a woman and her 13 male relatives at a house in Serdang on Tuesday night.
Initial investigations revealed the woman’s husband, in his 40s, was suspected to have masterminded the illegal acvities of the syndicate which Immigration Department director-general Datuk Seri Mustafar Ali dubbed as the ‘Family Syndicate’.
The syndicate which was believed to have been active in the past one year, had rented a telephone shop to receive clients.
According to Mustafar, the telephone shop was used as a front to conceal the syndicate’s illegal activities from the authorities.
He said the raid led to the seizure of two laptops and printers, a card printer worth about RM8,000, lamination machine, some CIDB cards, E-cards, and PLKS stickers including RM6,977 in cash.
“The Immigration had conducted intelligence surveillance for almost three weeks and the movements of the suspects were detected right up to Puchong and Seri Kembangan.
“The syndicate was known as a ‘family syndicate’ as it comprised family members involving a married couple and close relatives,” he told a press conference after a Corruption-Free Pledge (IBR) at the Home Ministry complex here.
Mustafar said the syndicate could produce between 30 to 40 cards daily and were raking in between RM30,000 to RM40,000 a month. The suspects, in their mid-20s to 40s, are from Dhaka, Bangladesh.
“We will not compromise and will take stern action on any individual or employee who violated the Immigration Act 1959/1963, Immigration regulations, Passports Act 1966 and the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Smuggling of Migrants Act,” he said, adding that the immigration enforcement officers also seized a Toyota Camry to facilitate investigations.
“I believe such syndicates are using similar modus operandi and the Immigration Department will intensify its efforts to uncover such activities.’’
The case is investigated under Section 56(1) (i) of the Immigration Act and the Passports Act 1966.
In another development, Mustafar revealed 4,245 illegal immigrants were detained in Kuala Lumpur from January to October.
Earlier, 125 immigration officers and personnel took the pledge to uphold principles of corruption-prevention. — Bernama