PUTRAJAYA: The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) arrested another four people who caused a serious breach in the country's borders.
The four, aged between 28 and 52, were the latest syndicate members nabbed by the graftbuster yesterday.
Sources said one of the four nabbed was an Immigration officer while the other three were foreign worker agents.
"Following investigations, it was found that the syndicate involved an international crime smuggling syndicate from China, Vietnam, Indonesia and Bangladesh.
"The counter setting process at the Kuala Lumpur International Arport (KLIA) and klia2 was done by international syndicate who comprised agents in their respective countries," he said.
It was reported recently that the MACC had busted a syndicate involving Immigration Department officers which caused a serious breach in the country's borders.
So far, MACC has arrested 28 Immigration officers for facilitating the movement of illegal immigrants and foreign workers.
Also nabbed were 17 foreign worker agents and five civilians.
All of them were arrested following a sting operation codenamed Ops Selat by the MACC, with the help of the Immigration Department.
The suspects before this, aged between 21 and 46, were arrested at various locations in Putrajaya, Selangor, Johor, Sabah and Sarawak
Elaborating, the source said any visitor who had been blacklisted and wanted to enter Malaysia would be managed by the syndicate, where their details such as name, passport number and travel itinerary will be handed over to the agents here.
"These agents will then contact the Immigration officers in KLIA and klia2 for the counter setting to help the blacklisted foreign workers and foreign visitors to easily enter Malaysia.
"This also applies to those who are leaving the country, including those blacklisted, those with expired social visit passes and forged passports.
"Only selected counters at KLIA and klia2 will be used by these foreign workers and visitors," he added.
The source said more than RM800,000 in cash was seized along with 26 luxury vehicles and four high-powered motorcycles.
Also seized were houses, land, jewelleries and others.
"What is shocking from our probe is that an Immigration personnel, with a KP 19 grade, is able to possess four luxury vehicles such as a Roll Royce Phantom, a Mustang, a Range Rover and an Audi.
"The vehicles were registered under the names of two Chinese nationals, believed to be agents operating in Malaysia and two local agents," he said, adding that they have been identified.
The source also said that one of the local agents helped to keep the vehicles, and only used by the Immigration personnel as a repayment for handling the counter setting at klia2.
MACC Investigations director Datuk Norazlan Mohd Razali did not discount the possibility that there will be more arrests.
"All those detained will be investigated under Section 16 of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009 and the Anti-Money Laundering and Anti- Terrorism Financing Act 2001," he added.