PETALING JAYA: Follow-ups to the joint operation between the Immigration Department and MACC have led to eight additional arrests.
In a statement today, Immigration director-general Datuk Zakaria Shaaban said that a follow-up raid was conducted on Aug 1 in Bandar Mahkota Cheras where eight Myanmar nationals were caught.
Investigations showed that one suspect had ties to the mastermind of a syndicate previously arrested under Ops Crack.
"Also arrested were one Myanmar man and six Myanmar women, who were believed to be waiting to be supplied to employers. The suspects were aged between 29 and 56 years old," he said.
Checks showed that the main suspect possessed a Temporary Employment Visit Pass (PLKS) under the services sector.
"Four other women had overstayed, while one Myanmar man and two Myanmar women were found to have no valid passes or travel documents," he said.
The authorities seized a total of 16 Myanmar passports and suspected forged PLKS documents.
"The syndicate's modus operandi is believed to involve acting as illegal agents by offering services to obtain the PLKS that were allegedly issued unlawfully through the Immigration Department's foreign worker management system, which is believed to have been compromised.
"The syndicate is believed to have offered these passes to foreign nationals in the Klang Valley who either did not possess valid immigration passes or had overstayed in Malaysia. The syndicate also supplied foreign workers to employers charging between RM8,000 and RM10,000 per worker.
"It is believed to have been operating since the beginning of this year. All those detained were taken to the Immigration Department office in Putrajaya for further action," he said.
Previously, six immigration officers and a policeman were among 12 individuals detained by MACC for their alleged involvement in a syndicate that hacked the Malaysia Immigration System (MyIMMs).
The syndicate allegedly breached the system to illegally approve PLKS applications.
