Immigration director-general Ruslin Jusoh said that following the arrest of a Bangladeshi man suspected to be the syndicate’s mastermind, the department raided a residential premises and nabbed four other Bangladeshis believed to be his accomplices.

He also said the syndicate offered foreign nationals without passports the opportunity to obtain Fomema documents for RM100 per person. Members of the syndicate would visit Fomema panel clinics to apply for these documents using fake passports.

Ruslin said the accomplices had visited different panel clinics 19 times, reported Bernama.

“Checks revealed that the mastermind had overstayed and the others did not possess valid travel documents to be in the country,” he said in a statement today.

Ruslin said the mastermind was being detained under Section 15(4) of the Immigration Act 1959/63, and Section 12(1)(a) and Section 12(1)(f) of the Passports Act 1966.

Meanwhile, the four other men were being held under Section 6(3) of the Immigration Act and Section 12(1)(a) of the Passports Act.

“All of them are being detained at the Putrajaya immigration depot for further investigation.

“A local man has been issued a notice to report to the immigration office to assist with the investigation,” he added.