PUTRAJAYA: A passport-forging syndicate catering to foreigners wanting to pass the Foreign Workers’ Medical Examination Monitoring Agency (Fomema) medical check-ups has been dismantled with the arrest of five Bangladeshi men.
Immigration Department director-general Datuk Zakaria Shaaban stated that two of the detainees, apprehended on Tuesday (Sept 2), were the masterminds behind the syndicate.
"They were detained in raids conducted at residential premises in Jalan Jelawat and Jalan Razak Mansion in Kuala Lumpur.
"We conducted the raids at about 9.40am following three weeks of intelligence gathering by the department's Special Operation and Intelligence division," he told reporters on Wednesday (Sept 3).
Zakaria explained that the syndicate's modus operandi involved forging passports for unfit foreigners wishing to pass the Fomema checks.
"Syndicate members would pose as the unfit foreigners to pass the check-ups.
"The photo in the forged passports would be that of the syndicate members, but the details would belong to the Fomema applicants," he said.
The syndicate has been operating for about three months, charging between RM150 and RM250 for each forged passport.
Eight genuine Bangladeshi passports and one genuine Indian passport, along with three fake Bangladeshi and four fake Indonesian passports, were seized, Zakaria said.
"We also seized passport pages and covers from multiple countries, including Bangladesh, Myanmar, Pakistan, India, and Indonesia, as well as 11 mobile phones and RM2,100 in cash.
"Several pieces of equipment, including computers, printers, paper punchers, and a vehicle, were also seized in the operation," he added.
The syndicate catered to foreigners from various countries, including Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Myanmar, Nepal, and Indonesia.
"They operated from residential premises and used Bangladeshi agents to scout for customers.
"They took about one to two days to prepare the forged passports," he added.
Zakaria said three of those detained, including the two masterminds, had temporary work passes for foreign workers (PLKS) in the construction sector.
"Another had a student visa, while the fifth suspect did not have any valid passes.
"We believe those with valid passes have been in the country for about two to three years," he said.
The department will work with other relevant agencies and the respective embassies to investigate the syndicate further.
"We are not ruling out the possibility that there are remnants of the syndicate.
"We will not compromise in taking action against anyone who flouts immigration laws and regulations, especially passport forgery syndicates," he said.
Those detained were brought to the Immigration headquarters in Putrajaya, he added.
