PUTRAJAYA: Investigators probing the recently-busted international smuggling syndicate run by Immigration officers are baffled as to how individuals with criminal records are able to enter the civil service.
This follows the discovery that an Immigration officer, with a KP 19 grade, has a criminal record for vehicle theft.
Sources close to the investigation said the Immigration personnel is also believed to be a member of a syndicate for vehicle theft, masterminded by a foreign worker agent.
"The Immigration personnel is also said to be a member of a secret society.
"How is it that someone with a criminal record can be appointed into the civil service?
"His previous links to crime led to cases escalating into migrant smuggling cases," the source said today.
Prior to this, the Immigration officer was found to own four luxury vehicles, including a Roll Royce Phantom, Mustang, Range Rover and Audi.
Meanwhile, the source said the 12 foreign workers detained by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) following a sting operation codenamed Ops Selat, with the help of the Immigration Department since last Monday, are members of an international migrant smuggling syndicate.
The source added that one of the agents detained was in the police's wanted list.
"He was involved in three police cases involving vehicle theft and conspiracy in a prostitution syndicate among Chinese nationals.
"He was the same agent who helped keep the Immigration personnel's four luxury vehicles," the source said.
Meanwhile, MACC Investigations director Datuk Norazlan Mohd Razali confirmed that 56 people have been detained to date.
He said they include 34 Immigration officers, 12 foreign worker agents and 10 civilians.
"The 10 civilians detained had allowed their bank accounts to be used to keep the graft money collected.
"We will not hesitate to take stern action against the foreign worker agents.
"We will work with the Immigration Department and the police to ensure a comprehensive probe into the matter," he added.
On Saturday, the MACC arrested three Immigration officers, including a deputy director, as probes into the syndicate widened.
It was reported recently that the MACC had busted a syndicate involving Immigration Department officers, which caused a serious breach at the country's borders.
Any visitor who had been blacklisted and wanted to enter Malaysia would be managed by the syndicate, with their details, such as name, passport number and travel itinerary, handed over to the agents here.
These agents would then contact the Immigration officers at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) and klia2 for the counter setting to help the blacklisted foreign workers and foreign visitors to easily enter Malaysia.
This also applied to those who were leaving the country, including those blacklisted, those with expired social visit passes and forged passports.
Only selected counters at KLIA and klia2 would be used by these foreign workers and visitors.
To-date, more than RM800,000 in cash has been seized, along with more than 26 luxury vehicles and four high-powered motorcycles.
Also seized were houses, land, jewellery and others.