'Zakeer' and 'Shaheed' syndicates operating beyond Klang Valley, says DG
Immigration Department director-general Datuk Zakaria Shaaban said both syndicates, led by foreign nationals, were found to be actively offering illegal services such as the renewal of the Temporary Employment Visit Pass (PLKS) and acting as unlicensed immigration agents.
"These syndicates are operating without approval and are providing immigration services illegally," he told reporters when met at the Immigration Director-General's shooting trophy event here today.
Zakaria said the department had been closely monitoring their activities through intelligence work and enforcement operations.
"We've been tracking such syndicates all along, and these are not the only ones.
"Based on intelligence and operations, we suspect they are also involved in the forgery of immigration documents.
"We believe it's likely that they have agents in other states, not just in the Klang Valley," he said.
He said the department would continue its efforts to dismantle these syndicates.
"We take these threats seriously and will not compromise when it comes to the integrity of the immigration system.
"We also believe there could be more syndicates involved, not just Zakeer and Shaheed.
"We will continue to carry out operations whenever we receive credible information," he said.
On July 10, the department busted the two groups and detained three Bangladeshi men, two Pakistanis, and a Myanmar man during operations in Jalan Pudu and Ampang Baru.
Also seized were 138 foreign passports, 24 "Malaysia Pass" stickers believed to be fake, and three handphones.
The Zakeer group charged between RM2,500 and RM6,000 for each application, and had been active for a year.
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