Immigration busts syndicate exploiting senior citizens for fake marriages
Its director-general, Datuk Zakaria Shaaban, said the operation, which began at 9.19am, was carried out following two weeks of intelligence gathering by the Intelligence and Special Operations Division based at Immigration headquarters in Putrajaya.
He said five Malaysian men, aged between 30 and 66, were arrested during the raid.
"Four of them are believed to be the main masterminds of the syndicate, while one acted as an intermediary," he said in a statement today.
Among the items seized during the operation were six Malaysian passports, 22 Chinese passports, seven Bangladeshi passports, three Indonesian passports, two Vietnamese passports, one Myanmar passport, and one Macau passport.
Also confiscated were a laptop, two printers, two backpacks, RM3,070 in cash, and two vehicles, a Perodua Bezza and a Honda CR-V, believed to have been used by the syndicate.
"In addition, 26 folders containing documents from the department and the National Registration Department (JPN) were also seized," he added.
Zakaria said the syndicate is believed to have been offering immigration-related services, such as applications under the category of "foreign spouse of a Malaysian citizen", as well as JPN applications for marriages between Malaysians and foreign nationals.
The syndicate is believed to have been in operation for about a year.
"Its modus operandi involved targeting local senior citizens in the Klang Valley who were seeking to marry foreign nationals, charging between RM50 and RM500 for each application," he said.
All five suspects were detained on suspicion of committing offences under the Passport Act 1966 and were taken to the Immigration Office in Putrajaya for further action.
Zakaria added that the department remains committed to strengthening enforcement efforts in line with the Madani Government's emphasis on integrity in governance and national security.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Star
2 hours ago
- The Star
RM1.72mil worth of drugs seized in Johor raids
Major haul: Comm Kumar (second from right) showing the seized items at the press conference in Johor Baru. — Bernama JOHOR BARU: A drug syndicate was busted with the arrest of nine members and the seizure of some RM1.72mil worth of drugs following three separate raids here, say police. Johor police chief Comm Datuk M. Kumar said the raids were carried out between June 20 and 21 at three apartments. He said those arrested comprised four local men, a local woman, a Singaporean man, two Vietnamese women and a Laotian woman, aged between 21 and 64. He added that the mastermind of the syndicate, who is a 52-year-old local man, was among the suspects detained. He said police also seized 10.044kg of ecstasy powder, 140g of methamphetamine, 61.50g of ketamine, 5.7g of Erimin 5 pills, 40g of yaba pills, 78g of ecstasy pills, and 33ml of suspected drug-laced liquid. According to Comm Kumar, two of the units were converted into entertainment centres while another was used to repackage drugs. 'They operated from the gated and guarded apartments that were rented under the name of one of the suspects and a third party. 'They used two of the apartments to attract people for entertainment purposes while supplying drugs to their clients,' Comm Kumar said in a press conference at the Johor police headquarters yesterday. He said the drugs were packaged as tea bags while drug-laced liquids were stored in vape cartridges at the third unit. Comm Kumar added that the Singaporean suspect was believed to be a wanted person in his country for drug trafficking activities. 'We are working closely with the Singapore police over the matter. 'The suspects sell a kilogramme of ecstasy for around RM160, while the drugs packed into tea bags were sold at about RM5,000 per kg. 'The total seizure could feed the habit of about 33,000 drug users.' Comm Kumar also said that drug processing equipment, two cars, along with cash worth RM1,500 and some jewellery, were confiscated during the raids. 'Following investigations, it was found that four of the suspects are on record for offences related to drugs and crimes. 'We also conducted urine tests on the suspects, and all tested positive for methamphetamine,' he said. Comm Kumar said they have been remanded until today for investigation under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952, which carries a death sentence or life imprisonment and whipping, if convicted. 'The four foreign suspects are also being investigated under Section 6(3) and Section 6(1)(c) of the Immigration Act 1959/63,' he added. Comm Kumar also disclosed that from January until June this year, police seized a total of 1.08 tonnes and 5,816.5 litres of drugs valued at RM106.9mil collectively. He urged the public to continue providing information to help combat illegal activities by channelling information to the Narcotics Criminal Investigation Department hotline at 012-208 7222.
Malaysia Sun
4 hours ago
- Malaysia Sun
Bangladesh says ready to cooperate with Malaysia in terror investigation
Xinhua 06 Jul 2025, 08:15 GMT+10 DHAKA, July 6 (Xinhua) -- Bangladesh has expressed its readiness to cooperate with the Malaysian authorities in the terror investigation into the arrest of dozens of Bangladeshi nationals in Malaysia on alleged militancy charges. Bangladesh's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement here Saturday that the Bangladesh High Commission in Kuala Lumpur has engaged with relevant Malaysian authorities, which announced last week the arrest of some Bangladeshis for alleged involvement in a radical militant movement. The ministry said the Bangladesh High Commission will extend necessary support to the expatriate Bangladeshis wherever needed. "Bangladesh once again reiterates its firm stand against all forms of terrorism, violent extremism and militancy, and it remains ready to extend full cooperation to the Malaysian authorities in this regard," it said. Of the arrested individuals, according to the statement, formal charges have been filed against five in Malaysian courts. The rest are in the process of either further investigation or deportation, it mentioned.
New Straits Times
6 hours ago
- New Straits Times
Shut out the outside noise, continue your roar
MALAYSIA crushed Vietnam 4-0 last month at a packed National Stadium in Bukit Jalil in a display of dominance, flair and newfound depth. But instead of praise, Harimau Malaya have been pelted with abuse. Social media exploded. Fans from Indonesia and Vietnam accused Malaysia of manipulating the system. Conspiracy theories spread like wildfire. Some even demanded FIFA intervention. And the reason? Not how they played, but who played. That night, nine of Malaysia's starting 11 were naturalised players. Fifteen in total were listed on the team sheet. Six made their international debuts — Facundo Garces, Imanol Machuca, Joao Figueiredo, Rodrigo Hidalgo, Gabriel Palmero and Jon Irazabal. None were born in Malaysia, but all, according to the FA of Malaysia (FAM), are of Malaysian descent and had their documents vetted and approved by FIFA. Still, that didn't stop some quarters from crying foul. Indonesian media outlet Disway ID kicked off the storm, claiming FAM could face a US$2 million fine, the Vietnam result overturned, and even be banned from naturalising players in future if any documents are found to be false. One Indonesian fan site labelled Malaysia's approach "football piracy". But FAM moved swiftly to shut down the noise. "FIFA has checked. We followed the rules and regulations," said FAM president Datuk Joehari Ayub. The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) backed that stance, with general-secretary Datuk Seri Windsor Paul confirming that no complaint had been lodged with the regional body and that all player eligibility matters fall under FIFA's jurisdiction. FAM secretary-general Datuk Noor Azman Rahman added: "We have not received any letters from FIFA or AFC. We followed all the regulations. We deny all those statements." So far, FIFA has remained silent. No red flags. No warnings. No sanctions. No signs of any wrongdoing. But this uproar isn't just about technicalities. It's about identity, perception, and pride, and a growing unease among fans and regional rivals over how quickly Harimau Malaya are changing. Naturalisation isn't new in this part of the world. Indonesia have long benefited from Dutch-Indonesian dual nationals, a by-product of colonial history. But the move has come good as Indonesia could qualify for next year's World Cup. The Philippines built an entire football programme around American and European-born Filipinos. Singapore experimented with imports in the early 2000s. Even Timor Leste brought in a wave of Brazilian players — but that ended in disaster when it was discovered their documents had been forged, triggering a massive FIFA and AFC probe. The players had no family ties to East Timor, just falsified baptism and birth records. The scandal rocked Asian football. But comparing Timor Leste to Malaysia is lazy and misguided. FAM has done its homework. All the players in question have documented Malaysian roots. FIFA has scrutinised and cleared their files. Everything, on paper and in practice, is in order. The real issue, perhaps, is that Malaysia are finally becoming a threat. Harimau Malaya are no longer just a "potential" side. They're a team with depth, technical ability and physical presence. Players like Figueiredo and Garces are not just passengers, they are game-changers. The victory over Vietnam sent a clear message across Southeast Asia — Malaysia are here to compete and dominate. And that's made some uncomfortable. There's a sense that this isn't about fairness, but fear. A fear that Malaysia's aggressive talent recruitment might tilt the regional balance. And locally, the backlash is mixed. Some fans are proud of the results. Others worry the national identity is being diluted. It's a delicate line. But it's not illegal. Nor is it unethical as long as the ancestry claims are legitimate and the paperwork checks out. International football has always been a reflection of a country's global footprint — migration, diaspora, dual nationality. The world is changing, and football is changing with it. FAM must now hold its ground. Not by shouting down critics, but by calmly reinforcing the facts: FIFA rules were followed. No violations occurred. The team are legitimate. If anything, this backlash is proof that Malaysia are doing something right. They've rattled their rivals. They've changed the conversation. And above all, they're finally winning again. The challenge now is to build trust with their fan base and prove that these new additions are not just "imports", but part of the Harimau Malaya family ready to fight for the badge. The noise may continue. The accusations may resurface. But if Malaysia keep playing the way they did against Vietnam, the football will do the talking. And it might just drown out the rest.
