THE Malaysian Immigration Department has uncovered a forgery syndicate involved in producing and selling counterfeit visa stickers and employment pass documents to undocumented migrants following a series of operations in the Klang Valley.
Immigration Director-General Datuk Zakaria Shaaban said the operation, based on two weeks of surveillance and public tip-offs, was carried out on Monday at two premises along Jalan Ipoh in Kuala Lumpur.
“Officers conducted checks on a local man and two local women found operating at the premises,” he said in a statement issued on Wednesday.
“A Pakistani national, believed to be the syndicate’s mastermind, was also arrested.”
Initial checks revealed the man had no valid travel documents or visa allowing him to remain in Malaysia.
Authorities seized 13 fake visa stickers, including six for Bangladesh, two for India, two for the United States, and one each for Indonesia and Pakistan. A biometric passport sticker for Bangladesh, along with a desktop computer, laptop and printer, were also confiscated.
“The syndicate’s modus operandi involved altering and printing counterfeit immigration stickers to be sold to foreign nationals at between RM100 and RM120 each, depending on the country printed,” Zakaria explained.
The Pakistani suspect is being held at the Immigration Depot in Putrajaya and is being investigated under the Immigration Act 1959/63, the Passport Act 1966, and the Immigration Regulations 1963. Two local individuals have been issued notices to appear for further investigation.
In a separate operation later that same day, at 6.42pm, immigration officers raided two additional locations in Maluri, Kuala Lumpur, and Petaling Jaya, Selangor.
“Based on intelligence and public information, we detained two local women believed to be the masterminds, and one local man aged between 40 and 43,” said Zakaria.
Preliminary investigations revealed that one of the women and the male suspect are civil servants. The syndicate, which has been active since late last year, was allegedly issuing Temporary Work Visit Passes (ePLKS) to foreigners in the Klang Valley without valid documents.
Checks revealed that the information on the ePLKS documents had been altered and did not exist in the Immigration system. The syndicate reportedly charged RM11,000 per pass.
Among the items seized were 101 passports from various countries, including 74 from Sri Lanka, 13 from Myanmar, six from Vietnam, two each from Indonesia and Ghana, and one each from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Syria.
Authorities also confiscated two mobile phones, a copy of a Companies Commission of Malaysia (SSM) certificate, and a Toyota Vellfire vehicle used by the syndicate.
“The Malaysian nationals arrested are suspected of committing offences under Section 12(1)(f) of the Passport Act 1966,” Zakaria added.
They have been taken to the Immigration Department headquarters in Putrajaya for further action, with two others issued notices to assist with the investigation. - June 18, 2025
