The arrests were made during raids by the national registration department and the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission based on information from a Filipino arrested three months ago.

Home ministry secretary-general Ruji Ubi said 15 people were arrested, and five immigration department officials in Tawau detained to assist in the ongoing investigations.

“Ops Lancar at Kuala Lumpur International Airport Terminal 2 led to the arrest of eight Filipino immigrants who managed to get pass information checks from Tawau to Kuala Lumpur.

“Six immigrants were found to have identity cards belonging to others while two others, including a 21-month-old toddler, did not have any identification documents,” he told reporters.

Ruji said that a Filipino couple with fake identity cards was arrested at the syndicate’s transit house in Bandar Seri Alam, Masai, Johor.

He said the investigations found the involvement of agents and syndicates that had been active for two to three years, which managed the entry of Filipino immigrants from Sabah to Peninsular Malaysia for the cost of RM2,500 per person.

The syndicate is also believed to help transport Filipinos who had been subject to legal action at home, he said.

Following the raids, the Ops Lancar team and the police yesterday tracked down the real owners of the MyKads used by the syndicate, and seven MyKad owners were detained at various locations for further questioning.