Illegal immigration agents nabbed, 209 passports seized

Illegal immigration agents nabbed, 209 passports seized

Three Malaysians, believed to be the ringleaders, and five foreigners were arrested in an immigration department operation.

The immigration department seized passports from eight countries in raids conducted in Putrajaya, Selangor and Kuala Lumpur.
PUTRAJAYA:
Three Malaysians, believed to be masterminds of an illegal immigration agent syndicate, have been arrested together with five foreigners in a special operation by the immigration department in Putrajaya, Selangor and Kuala Lumpur.

Immigration director-general Ruslin Jusoh said the five others, aged between 22 and 42 years, are an Indian man, a Vietnamese man and two women, and a Sri Lankan woman.

He said the syndicate would target foreigners in the Klang Valley by offering passport services such as visas, tourist passes and work passes, for which they charged between RM500 and RM1,100.

Ruslin said a preliminary check found that the two Vietnamese women and the Sri Lankan woman had overstayed while the Indian national was without valid travel documents.

Immigration officers seized a total of 209 passports issued by various countries, comprising India (131), Sri Lanka (22), Bangladesh (18), Indonesia (10), Vietnam (10), Nepal (eight), Pakistan (six) and Myanmar (four).

Four vehicles were also seized, he said.

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