KAJANG: Three suspects, including two Thai women, have been arrested by the Immigration Department for allegedly forging security stamps for overstaying foreigners.
Immigration director-general Datuk Zakaria Shaaban said that the three suspects, aged between 40 and 45, were arrested during a special operation at two residential premises in Kajang, Selangor, and Pandan Perdana, Kuala Lumpur, at about 11am on Nov 3.
“The operation was carried out by officers from the Intelligence and Special Operations Division of the Immigration Department’s headquarters in Putrajaya following a month-long intelligence operation.
“Immigration officers seized two forged security stamps for visit passes, a forged exit endorsement stamp, two rubber stamps bearing forged endorsements, two date stamps and five red and blue ink pads.
“Other items seized included six Thai passports, a Thai Border Pass, five mobile phones, two notebooks and keys to the premises,” he said in a statement on Friday (Nov 6).
The syndicate is believed to have forged Immigration security endorsement stamps issued at the Sultan Iskandar Building (BSI) to deceive the authorities.
The group targeted foreigners without valid passes or those who had overstayed, particularly Thai nationals.
The syndicate is believed to have advertised its services through WhatsApp, charging between RM70 and RM100 for each forged stamp.
“Customers were only required to send in their passports without meeting syndicate members in person, in an attempt to avoid detection.
“There is also a possibility that some customers were unaware that the security stamps in their passports were forged,” he said.
He added that the syndicate is believed to have made up to RM15,000 in profits monthly.
He also said that investigations would continue to identify other members of the syndicate and that strict action would be taken against those involved in activities that violated the country’s laws.
