Immigration director-general Zakaria Shaaban said the smuggling syndicate had brought in foreign nationals, particularly from India, through land entry points with the help of “transporters” posing as taxi drivers, before the officer endorsed their entry despite them not meeting immigration requirements.

“The syndicate charged RM1,000 per individual, with RM400 channelled to the officer for each passport, and is believed to have been operating since early this year,” he said.

Zakaria stressed that his department will not compromise with any parties involved in migrant smuggling activities, including its own officers, to ensure the country’s sovereignty and security are safeguarded.

Those arrested include a local resident and a Thai national believed to be agents who arranged the entry of foreign nationals, as well as another local resident who transported the migrants.

Also detained were five Indian nationals and one Pakistani national.

Zakaria said initial checks found that one of the Indian nationals had been blacklisted, while the Pakistani national was using a fake e-visa.

He said the case was being investigated under the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act 2007 and the Immigration Act 1959/63.