Code words like ‘roti canai’, ‘durian’ used by human trafficking syndicate in Malaysia

PETALING JAYA – Code words were used by members of a crime syndicate to communicate with enforcement agency officers who were on the take, so that foreigners could enter the country without checks at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport.

“Code names such as ‘schoolboy’, ‘salak’, ‘limau’, ‘laici’, ‘karpet’, ‘kicap’, ‘roti canai’, ‘junta’ and ‘ayam’ were used to refer to the nationalities of those brought to the (immigration) counters,” said a source.

The source added that code words such as “lembu” and “durian” referred to payments made to the corrupt officers.

Sources said investigations showed that suspects working at both Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 received between RM500 and RM2,500 (between S$150 and S$745), based on the nationalities of the foreigners, to allow them through. “Officers at both terminals would receive the names and photos of those being brought in by the syndicate via WhatsApp,” the source said.

Arriving groups of foreigners brought in by the syndicate would be instructed to go to a counter set up exclusively for the syndicate’s use to get their passports stamped for entry into the country.

The syndicate would then make payments in cash or via bank transfer in a day or two. The bank accounts used were of those directly involved or of certain companies, or proxy bank accounts.

Tan Sri Azam Baki, chief commissioner of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission, said the authorities were tracing other officers involved, and said more would be called in for questioning.

However, he said the foreigners who used the syndicate’s services to enter the country were difficult to track down. “This is one reason behind the drastic increase of illegal immigrants working in the country,” he added.

On Aug 20, 11 people, including four enforcement agency officers, were arrested in raids in Klang Valley, Kelantan and Penang. THE STAR/ ASIA NEWS NETWORK