KUALA LUMPUR: An Immigration officer was arrested on suspicion of bringing six Indian men into the country without valid documents, in a syndicate smuggling foreigners, at klia2 in Sepang yesterday.
Immigration Department director-general, Datuk Seri Khairul Dzaimee Daud, said the six Indian men were also arrested at 7.45pm yesterday.
He said all the foreigners, aged 20 to 42, were trying to enter the country to work without valid passports to avoid levy payments.
"The syndicate's modus operandi is to offer fake e-visas to them to enter Malaysia as tourists.
"The syndicate will provide accommodation facilities, tour programmes and a sum of money to show as though they are genuine tourists," he said in a statement today.
Khairul Dzaimee said the 31-year-old Immigration officer was found to be complicit in the syndicate by stamping the passports without recording the foreigners' journeys into the MyImms system.
Based on intelligence information, the syndicate was believed to have been operating since April, charging between RM5,000 and RM6,000 to each visitor, he said.
"All foreigners detained are being investigated under the Immigration Act 1959/63 and the Passport Act 1966 for trying to enter Malaysia illegally, while the immigration officer will be investigated under Section 26A of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act 2007 after the remand order is obtained," he said.
He added that his department will continue to increase intelligence and operational efforts to combat smuggling and human trafficking.
"The Immigration Department will not compromise with any party even if it involves immigration officers themselves.
"Those found guilty will receive appropriate punishment under the relevant laws," he said. — BERNAMA