PETALING JAYA: An Immigration officer nicknamed “Thanos” has been reassigned to office duties following allegations linking him to illegal immigration syndicates at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA).
According to Malaysiakini, he was transferred from a KLIA Terminal 2 immigration management team to an administrative unit.
“I consider the transfer a form of ‘punishment’ for him,“ a source from the Immigration Department of Malaysia (JIM) headquarters was quoted as saying.
The reassignment, which began last week, confines Thanos to office work, limiting his movements and hindering any further involvement in syndicate activities, the source explained.
KLIA operates four rotating management teams (A to D) at each terminal, responsible for counter operations, gate control, and surveillance.
Thanos is alleged to have been involved in two operations: the ‘fly’ syndicate, which falsifies immigration records to clear overstays and remove individuals from blacklists; and the ‘phantom travels’ syndicate, which enables government personnel to travel abroad without their movements being recorded.
A separate KLIA source claimed Thanos remained active in the fly syndicate as a ‘runner’ even after the activities were publicly exposed.
The source said it was unclear whether he was under investigation but noted Thanos was absent from duty for nearly two weeks before returning and allegedly resuming his role.
On July 19, the Malaysian Border Control and Protection Agency (AKPS) filed a police report over a fly syndicate case involving a Chinese national.
The report stated the man’s passport had no entry stamp, despite immigration records showing he entered Malaysia on July 10 and overstayed by nearly two months.
“I can say Thanos is still acting as a ‘runner’ and collects around RM1,000 per passport,“ claimed a syndicate agent.
