Cops uncover immigration man's side job
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JOHOR BARU: Police have arrested an Immigration officer here who has been charging foreigners between RM100 and RM500 each to illegally extend their stay in the country.
They uncovered the scam when the man and three others were stopped at a roadblock in Jalan Tampoi at about 4am two days ago.
Police recovered an array of items from the car, including fake rubber stamps and at least 10 passports belonging to illegals from Nepal, Indonesia and the Philippines.
Sources said the foreigners usually entered the country on social visit passes but with the intention of working here.
They sought the services of the officer who would use the fake stamps to indicate that the foreigner had exited the country and re-entered with a 30-day visa.
“The usual practice is for a foreigner with a social pass to exit the country before the expiry of his visa before re-entering,” the source said. “In this case, everything is done by the Immigration officer using the fake rubber stamps.”
The three others were college students and believed to be the officer’s friends.
The man, in his 30s, stamps passports by day for those commuting through the state’s check-points.
It is learnt that the police were now checking if other Immigration officers were also involved for similar offences. Investigations are being carried out under the Penal Code and Passport Act.
Johor Baru North OCPD Mohd Khamsani Abd Rahman said the suspects had been remanded for six days.
In an unrelated case, a security guard in his 40s was arrested for impersonating a policeman in Johor Jaya here several days ago.
The police recovered at least eight live bullets and handcuffs from the suspect who has been remanded.
