Immigration Dept Seizes RM3.6 Mln, Arrests 10 Foreigners In Illegal Remittance Operation

PUTRAJAYA, Feb 8 (Bernama) — The Immigration Department seized RM3.6 million and arrested 10 foreign nationals in a special operation targeting an illegal money transfer syndicate in Klang and Brickfields, Kuala Lumpur last Thursday, Immigration director-general Datuk Zakaria Shaaban said. 

The joint operation, conducted with Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) and CyberSecurity Malaysia, also uncovered foreign currencies amounting to 1,400 euros and 10,000 yuan, as well as gold jewelry believed to be linked to illicit financial transactions.

Initial checks revealed that three Indian nationals had misused their passes, two others had overstayed, while three more Indian nationals and two Indonesian women had no valid travel documents or permits to remain in Malaysia.

“All individuals, aged between 21 and 57, have been taken to the Semenyih Immigration Depot for further action,” Zakaria said in a statement today.

He said the syndicate offered unlicensed money transfer services, primarily targeting Indonesian and Indian customers.

“They operated under the guise of grocery stores and eateries to evade detection by authorities,” he said.

He said the syndicate, which had been active for about a year, processed between RM15,000 and RM60,000 daily, with transactions surging up to RM110,000 during festive seasons.

“The money was then transferred abroad, primarily to Indonesia and India,” he said.

Authorities believe the syndicate used gold jewellery as a means to smuggle illicit funds out of the country, bypassing official banking and financial channels, he added. 

The case is being investigated under the Immigration Act 1959/63, as well as laws related to money services business and anti-money laundering regulations.

— BERNAMA