MACC chief commissioner Azam Baki said the syndicate’s operations were exposed following the arrest of 12 people, including three women, aged between 20 and 50, during operations held in the Klang Valley, Penang and Kelantan yesterday.
Those arrested comprised four company owners, three members of the public and five enforcement officers posted at KLIA’s Terminal 2. The members of the public are believed to have been involved in managing the illegal entry of the foreigners.
“These arrests follow MACC’s intelligence efforts since 2022, targeting the activities of this syndicate and its collusion with officers from a law enforcement agency.
“The syndicate is believed to have profited by millions of ringgit, with the investigations revealing an inflow of over RM4 million from 2022 to 2024.
“These funds are suspected to be payments for facilitating the illegal entries, some of which were distributed to the enforcement officers involved,” he said in a statement.
Azam said the syndicate is believed to have been orchestrated by certain enforcement officers stationed at the country’s entry points.
The officers allegedly facilitated the unauthorised entry of foreigners by bypassing standard procedures through a tactic known as “counter setting”.
This involved colluding with law enforcers positioned at specific counters at designated entry points to expedite the entry process for groups of foreigners.
“Foreigners seeking to enter the country would contact an agent responsible for managing their flight tickets and coordinating with the involved law enforcement officers.
“The agent would provide the foreigners’ details to the officers waiting at a designated counter. Upon arrival, the foreigners would be directed to that specific counter, where they would bypass the standard inspection process.
“After passing through the special counter, these foreigners would be met by a representative of the agent who would then transport them to a predetermined destination,” he said.
He said arrivals from countries such as Myanmar, Bangladesh, Indonesia, India, Pakistan, and Nepal are required to undergo inspection as outlined in Immigration Circular No 4.
According to the circular, they must present a valid passport or document, possess a visa, hold a valid round-trip ticket, have sufficient funds for their stay, and provide proof of accommodation or a hotel booking.
“However, these individuals were allowed to bypass the standard inspection process through the special counter,” he said, adding that all the suspects will be remanded today.