Immigration Dept busts family-run fake ID syndicate

Datuk Seri Mustafar Ali showing the fake IDs during the press conference. - AZMAN GHANI/ The Star

KUALA LUMPUR: A family-run syndicate in Seri Kembangan that made fake IDs was busted on Tuesday (Nov 14) night, said Immigration Department director-general Datuk Seri Mustafar Ali.

He said at a press conference Wednesday that the Department's team raided the syndicate's base of operations after weeks of surveillance.

He said the team arrested 14 suspects and seized various machines used to make the fake Enforcement Cards (E-Cards) and Construction Industry Development Board Cards.

Mustafar added that all the suspects are believed to be related to each other.

“We believe that the syndicate has been active for almost a year. The group was operating from a rented telephone shop that was used as a front and as a means to find customers,” he said.

One of the suspects was brought in to demonstrate the card-making process that took no more than 10 minutes from start to finish.

“We believe that the group made around 30 cards a day, and had profits of up to RM30,000 per month,” Mustafar said.

Investigations are still ongoing to identify other groups related to the syndicate.