PETALING JAYA: The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has arrested four more individuals related to an immigration syndicate linked to a trafficking ring involving China, Vietnam, Indonesia and Bangladesh, FMT has learned.
The four individuals, between the ages of 28 and 52, comprise three agents supplying foreign workers and one immigration officer.
A source told FMT that 50 people had been detained in total as part of a joint MACC and Immigration Department sting operation called “Ops Selat”, while more than RM800,000 in cash, 26 luxury cars and four high-powered motorcycles had been confiscated.
The source added that this still did not include houses, plots of land, jewellery and other items confiscated.
“One shocking discovery was how a KP19-grade immigration officer was able to own four luxury cars: A Rolls Royce Phantom, Mustang, Range Rover and an Audi.
“The cars were registered under four foreign worker agents, including two China nationals believed to be China migrant worker agents operating in Malaysia, and two local agents. We’ve identified all four of them and are tracking them down,” the source said.
The luxury vehicles were believed to be rewards for “setting counters” for migrants who have been blacklisted for immigration offences.
“Agents in Malaysia will be informed of the names, passport numbers and flight schedules of blacklisted individuals who want to enter Malaysia.
“These agents will then get in touch with immigration officers in KLIA and klia2 to ‘set’ the counters, allowing the migrant workers or foreign visitors easy access into Malaysia.
“The same goes for exiting the country, whether due to getting blacklisted, expiry of visitor passes or fake passports. And only specific counters in KLIA and klia2 will be used by migrant workers or foreign visitors,” the source said.
When contacted by FMT, MACC investigations director Norazlan Mohd Razali did not dismiss the possibility that more people will be arrested in the ongoing operation.
Investigations are being conducted under Section 16 of the MACC Act 2009 and Section 16 of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001.