HULU SELANGOR, Oct 6 — A woman is behind the running of an immigration stamp forgery syndicate targeting overstaying foreigners who are desperate to obtain fake stamps on their passports for entry and exit or to renew their visit pass.
Selangor police chief Datuk Shazeli Kahar said that, according to investigations, the syndicate has been operating since the beginning of this year, using a legitimate shopfront in Shah Alam as a cover to attract foreigners, who are charged RM500 for each fake stamp.
“The premises belong to a local woman who is reportedly also the mother-in-law of a footballer. The woman is suspected of helping her husband, a foreigner, both of whom were also arrested previously,” he said during a press conference today.
All the suspects, including four foreign men and a local woman aged 39 to 47, who were arrested last week, are still in remand custody to assist in the investigation.
“Police have sent the seized documents and fake stamps to the Malaysian Immigration Department for further verification. We are also investigating the involvement of any other party in the immigration system,” Shazeli said.
The syndicate’s activities were uncovered as a result of intelligence from the Gombak district police headquarters' Commercial Crime Investigation Division, which found that the fake stamps were being used to evade legal action after violating the country's legal period of stay.
The case is being investigated under Section 420 of the Penal Code for cheating.
Yesterday, the police arrested five individuals in two raids in Gombak and Shah Alam, and seized several documents and equipment believed to be used for immigration stamp forgery.
