MELAKA, April 1 — The Melaka Immigration Department arrested four Indonesians at the Banda Hilir Customs, Immigration and Quarantine  (CIQ) Complex here for having forged social visa stamps in their passports.

State Immigration deputy director Abu Bakar Sidek Hasan said the two men and two women aged between 18 and 46 years were waiting to return to Jakarta and Surabaya, Indonesia about 3.30pm yesterday.

“The immigration officer spotted a spelling error in their social visit pass stamps, dated March 8, 2014,” he told reporters at a press conference here today.

He said the detainees admitted to entering the country legally between 2007 and 2010 and not leaving Malaysia since then.

He said they paid between RM1,600 and RM1,800 each to obtain the fake stamps.          

Abu Bakar said the masterminds behind the fake stamps syndicate was believed to be two permanent residents living in Puchong and Gombak, Selangor.

He said the department was on the trail of these two men to facilitate investigations.

On a another case, he said 25 foreigners, between 18 and 48 years, including a woman, were nabbed in four separate raids at Ramuan Cina, Alor Gajah; Tambak Paya and Merlimau, Jasin as well as a gambling joint in Cheng, Melaka Tengah for being in the country without valid passes or permits. 

He said the foreigners were detained in a six-hour operation last night and comprised six Indonesians; Bangladeshis (6); Myanmarese (4); Nepalese (6) and one each from Pakistan, India and Vietnam. — Bernama