TWO Immigration officers were arrested this afternoon to assist in an investigation into the case of a syndicate smuggling blacklisted illegal immigrants into the country.

Immigration director-general Khairul Dzaimee Daud said the two officers, aged 20 and 27, were stationed at the Sultan Abu Bakar Complex (KSAB) in Iskandar Puteri.

He said earlier, the department busted a syndicate known as “Ah Chong” in an operation at Larkin Sentral with the arrest of 25 illegal immigrants –13 men and 12 women – from Indonesia and two local men, aged 34 and 39, believed to be the transporters.

He said the syndicate is suspected to have been active in smuggling illegal immigrants banned from entering the country since the reopening of the country’s borders in April.

The immigrants were charged between RM5,000 and RM8,000 each, he said, adding that the syndicate might have smuggled at least 600 illegal immigrants, raking in more than RM2.5 million.

“The modus operandi of this syndicate is to smuggle illegal immigrants into the country through Linkedua, and the two Immigration officers at KSAB will let them in uninspected before the immigrants are taken to Larkin Sentral by bus,” he said at a press conference at KSAB today.

“At Larkin Sentral, there is a special room provided by the syndicate to give them fake passport stamps to dupe the authorities and then they will be put on a bus to the Southern Integrated Terminal in Kuala Lumpur.”

Khairul said the immigrants are being detained under section 36 of the Immigration Act 1959/63 while the Immigration officers and the two local suspects are being investigated under section 26A of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act 2007.

“The Immigration Department will not compromise with any of its officers and personnel who are found to be colluding with migrant smugglers,” he said. – Bernama, October 12, 2022.