KUALA LUMPUR: The Immigration Department busted a fake work and identification document syndicate known as “Geng Ah Boy” when it arrested five people at two premises in Chow Kit here, on Sunday.
The raid, which was conducted by the department’s Enforcement, Intelligence and Operation unit, netted three Malaysian masterminds and two Indonesian workers.
Immigration Department director-general Datuk Seri Mustafar Ali said the syndicate is believed to have forged Work Approval Letters, Temporary Work Visit Passes and I-Kads which they sold for between RM30 and RM180, according to the package offered.
“They began their business three years ago and are believed to have earned hundreds of thousands of ringgit.
“Most (who sought their services) were regular customers from the Klang Valley, particularly those in Chow Kit and Kampung Baru, and were mainly workers from Indonesia and Bangladesh.
“They (also offered) Temporary Work Visit Pas stickers and biodata attachments in falsified passports. Their hottest product was a package offering all documents which was sold for only RM180,” he told a press conference at the Home Ministry Complex here, today.
Mustafar said the syndicate masked its forgery activities by using a mobile phone and accessory business as a front.
“The female suspects worked as the ‘sales assistants’ at the premises. They also acted as middlemen to look for document customers. (They took the customers’ photos) using mobile phones and processed the needed documents at the outlet.
“The suspects, aged between 25 and 38, will be investigated under Section 55D of the Immigration Act for forgery, or alteration of endorsements or documents,” he said.
On a separate issue, Mustafar said that from Jan 1 until last Friday, the Immigration Department conducted 8,456 operations in their efforts to crack down on illegal foreign workers.
A total of 103,425 foreigners were screened. Of the total, 25,152 illegal workers and 656 employers were arrested.