PUTRAJAYA: The Immigration Department has busted a syndicate making and selling fake passports to undocumented migrants.
Immigration director-general Datuk Ruslin Jusoh said the group’s operation was disrupted with the arrest of two suspects during a raid in Kajang on Friday (May 10).
“A 38-year-old suspect, a Bangladeshi man who goes by ‘Ofu Bhai’, is believed to be the mastermind.
"Also arrested was a Filipino woman in her 40s believed to be his assistant," he told a press conference at the Home Ministry here on Monday (May 13).
Ruslin said the department had noticed several foreigners stopped during raids producing dubious passports.
“We checked further (and found) that they had in fact been purchased from a syndicate,” he said.
Investigations showed that the syndicate would affix a fake data page, which contained the user’s details, onto genuine passports that had expired.
“It is a genuine passport, only with fake information. The syndicate creates the front page that has all your details such as home address, full name and passport number.
“They would use older versions of passports that do not use polycarbonate, and are easier to alter,” he said.
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He added that each forgery would cost around RM1,000 to RM1,500.
“The syndicate would also use the fake biodata on the passport to obtain Fomema (Foreign Workers’ Medical Examination Monitoring Agency) approval, for RM600 to RM1,000 per document.
"It is believed that they have been active for around two years," he added.
Both suspects have been remanded for 14 days.
Ruslin added that investigations were ongoing to determine if the syndicate has any other members.
“We believe there will be more (suspects)," he added.
Asked about the implementation of a QR code Immigration clearance system, particularly in Johor, Ruslin said such a system was being tested.
“We studied it and now we are testing it. An announcement will be made by the Home Ministry,” he said, adding that any new system implemented must not compromise on security.
