ISKANDAR PUTERI, March 13 — Police have arrested two men for impersonating immigration enforcement officers and blackmailing foreign workers in Taman Nusa Bestari, Skudai here recently.

Iskandar Puteri police chief Assistant Commissioner M. Kumarasan said authorities were alerted after receiving a report from a 28-year-old Bangladeshi man at 9.12pm last Sunday.

“The complainant said he received a phone call from his 23-year-old younger brother who was being blackmailed by two men posing as immigration enforcement officers.

“According to the complainant, his younger brother was detained by two local men who introduced themselves as officers from the immigration department at 8pm on the same day.

“The suspects then demanded that the victim pay RM1,600 as a condition for releasing his younger brother,” he said in a statement today.

Acting on information, Kumarasan said a team of policemen from the district police’s Criminal Investigation Division (CID) managed to nab two local suspects, aged 40 and 41, in Taman Nusa Bestari at 12.20am last Monday.

He said that the results of the check found that one of the suspects had a past record related to criminal and drug cases.

“However, drug screening tests on both suspects returned negative for narcotics abuse.

“Police also seized several items including a car, two sets of walkie-talkies, nine mobile phones of various brands and two bags containing copies of the victim’s passport and RM80 in cash,” he said.

Kumarasan said investigation papers have been referred to the Johor Attorney General’s Office and both suspects have been ordered to be charged under Section 419 of the Penal Code for deceiving by disguise.

He also advised the public, especially employers who have foreign workers, to always remind their employees to be vigilant in order to avoid becoming victims of such crimes.