They believe the 43-year-old man had been operating for almost a month when police arrested him at a house in Kampung Sentosa in the Sabah east coast district at 11 last night.

District police chief Fadil Marsus said the man told his clients he was producing membership cards for his organisation called Union Malaya Borneo Corporation (Umbco).

“He fooled the illegal immigrants into believing that the Umbco cards, which he produced himself at local stationery shops, provided immunity from enforcement action by the authorities.

“He claimed the official-looking yellow card could function as an identity card or passport,” he told reporters.

Fadil said the man charged RM50 per card but police got to him before he could hand them over.

He said the cards were made at a stationary shop in Tawau.

Police retrieved 19 files containing applications from his customers.