Two More Detained Over Flying Passport Scheme

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 MACC says the suspects, aged between 20 and 40, were detained at the Johor MACC office today.
The four suspects, all men aged between 20 and 40, will be taken to the Johor Bahru court for a remand order to be obtained.PETALING JAYA: Two more enforcement officers have been arrested over a RM3,000 bribe while on duty at the motorcycle supervision zone counter at the Johor-Singapore border
A Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission source reported that they were detained at the Johor MACC office today.
“Two main suspects were arrested by the Malaysian Border Control and Protection Agency during an inspection at the counter yesterday and later handed over to MACC.
“Following these arrests, two more enforcement officers were detained for alleged involvement in the ‘flying passport’ activity,” Berita Harian quoted the source as saying.
The suspects, all men aged between 20 and 40, will be taken to the Johor Bahru magistrate’s court for a remand order to be obtained tomorrow.
Earlier today, it was reported that two enforcement officers were detained at the customs, immigration and quarantine complex in Johor Bahru last night.
A search at the vehicle zone counter led to the discovery of RM2,800 in cash and two mobile phones, as well as 11 passports belonging to Chinese nationals and three Indonesian passports hidden inside a black bag above the ceiling of a different counter.
The agency said the two men were suspected of being involved in the “flying passport” activity.
Investigations revealed several suspicious visitor data entries made using the login credentials of an officer stationed at the counter, including records involving foreign nationals who were previously flagged as problematic visitors, it reported.
“During the arrests yesterday, we found 14 foreign passports, four mobile phones belonging to the two main suspects, and bribe money amounting to around RM2,800,” the MACC source said.
“Initial investigations revealed the cash and mobile phones were linked to bribery transactions involving the ‘flying passport’ scheme. For every passport stamped without the owner being present, all suspects would receive a bribe of about RM200,” it said.
Johor MACC deputy operations director Hairul Ilham Hamzah confirmed the arrests. “All the suspects will be brought to the Johor Bahru court for a remand order to be obtained,” the source said. - FMT

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