PETALING JAYA: An international visa forgery syndicate operating in Malaysia has been dismantled by the Kuala Lumpur Immigration Department after a three-month-long intelligence operation.
The department said the syndicate, which went by the name “DAVID LAWRENCE”, offered fake visas to European countries for fees of up to RM20,000 per document.
Masterminded by a Bangladeshi man and his wife, both in their 30s, it is believed to have been active for the past eight months.
“Their modus operandi involved processing fake international visas for clients in Bangladesh, then sending clients’ documents to Malaysia via international courier.
“The fake visas were forged here and used for travel to European countries,” the department said in a statement on Wednesday (Feb 25).
A raid was carried out on Feb 10 at the syndicate’s operational base in Sungai Besi, Kuala Lumpur.
Officers seized several Bangladeshi passports, fake foreign immigration stamps, suspected fake immigration slips, mobile phones, laptops and various other equipment used in the operation.
The arrested couple were charged in the Kuala Lumpur Court on Monday (Feb 23), with both then pleading guilty to nine separate charges.
The court imposed a total fine of RM112,000 on both perpetrators.
They were unable to pay and were ordered to serve 45 months’ imprisonment.
Upon completing their sentence, they will be deported to their home country and blacklisted from entering Malaysia permanently.
“Firm action will continue against any parties involved in document forgery and immigration law violations under the Immigration Act 1959/63 (Act 155) and other relevant laws.
“The public is urged to channel information on illegal activities to the Immigration Department to safeguard national security and sovereignty,” the department said.
