Passports ring busted in Malaysia

The Jakarta Post ,  Jakarta   |  Tue, 03/03/2009

Malaysian immigration office has arrested three Indonesian citizens allegedly members of a syndicate that produced false Indonesian passport in Selangor, Malaysia, Antara news agency has reported.

Deputy director of the immigration office, Sulaiman Keling, told Malaysian media that the three, on of them a young woman, were arrested during a raid at a house in Gombak area on Monday afternoon.

The office confiscated 18 fake Indonesian passport, two Albanian passport, four Indonesian marriage documents, 17 Malaysian immigration stamps, a printing machine and a computer.

Sulaiman said that the group charges up to 1,200 ringgit (Rp 3.8 million or around US$320) for a fake passport. The group produced six to seven fake documents each day and has been making 10,000 ringgit each month for the last six years.

The suspects are facing five to 10 years in jail and 30,000 ringgit fine penalty, and also whipping punishment. (dre)