Syndicate selling fake medical leave chits busted with arrest of six

JOHOR BAHRU - Police have smashed a syndicate believed to be selling fake medical leave certificates following the arrest of six individuals in separate raids in Iskandar Puteri, Plentong, Skudai and Masai, Pasir Gudang.

Johor Bahru Utara district police chief ACP Balveer Singh Mahindar Singh said they acted on a report lodged by a 36-year-old local man at 10.05am on Oct 17.

He said that acting on information, a task force from the commercial crime investigation division of the Johor Bahru Utara district police headquarters (IPD JBU) detained three men aged between 26 and 27 in Iskandar Puteri, Plentong and Skudai on Oct 21.

"Following the arrests, a team from the commercial crime investigation division of IPD JBU and the Johor contingent police headquarters detained a man and two women aged between 24 and 31 around Skudai and Masai, Pasir Gudang, on Oct 23.

"We also seized 1,363 suspected fake medical leave certificates, seven bank cards, seven mobile phones, a Yamaha motorcycle and RM40,000 in cash," he said in a statement today.

Balveer Singh said investigations showed that the syndicate is suspected of selling the fake medical leave certificates to employees of private companies and factories in the area.

"All the suspects have been remanded from Oct 21 to 27 on an order from the Johor Bahru Court, with two of them already charged in the same court on Thursday (Oct 24).

"The case is being investigated under several sections of the Penal Code and Section 11 of the Printing Presses and Publications Act 1984," he added.

He said further investigation is being conducted to prosecute the remaining suspects and urged affected individuals to report to the nearest police station.

"At the same time, we advise the public not to be involved in the forgery of government documents, as it is a serious crime and can lead to legal action under existing laws," he stressed. - BERNAMA