Chow Kit photo shop fronts father-son immigration forgery ring
KUALA LUMPUR: A document forgery operation allegedly run by a father-and-son duo behind a photo shop near Chow Kit Market has been uncovered by the Immigration Department.
The illicit activity, believed to have been ongoing since early this year, was exposed following a raid at 7pm yesterday. The operation was the result of two months of intelligence gathering.
KL Immigration Department director Wan Mohammed Saupee Wan Yusoff said the two suspects, aged 60 and 34, were believed to be involved in the production, falsification, and alteration of immigration endorsements, including visas, permits, passes, and other official documents, under Section 55D of the Immigration Act 1959/63.
"They were also found to have been supplying, selling, or transferring entry permits, passes, and travel documents — particularly to foreign nationals.
"We suspect they were offering services for the procurement of E-Pass PLKS (Temporary Employment Visit Passes) issued by the Immigration Department, with forged details, alongside counterfeit JIM i-Kads and CIDB cards intended for use in the construction sector," he said during a press conference today.
According to Wan Mohammed Saupee, the suspects communicated with clients via WhatsApp, requesting passport-sized photographs and accepting payments either online or in cash.
"Each document is priced between RM60 and RM140, with a turnaround time as quick as one day.
"The enforcement team also seized several cards resembling MyKid which are believed to be counterfeit," he added.
The raid led to the confiscation of 50 forged E-PLKS slips, 100 blank chip-based card templates, card printers, photocopy machines, desktop and laptop computers, a printing machine, hologram stickers, and RM4,000 in cash.
"Foreigners found to be using the services of unauthorised agents or syndicates will face stern action under the law," he said.
Wan Mohammed Saupee added that the department believes similar forgery operations remain active and that enforcement teams are ramping up efforts to identify and apprehend other individuals involved, based on intelligence and ongoing investigations.
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