Malaysian immigration authorities thwarted a fraudulent attempt to enter the country after uncovering a group of 15 Bangladeshi men posing as a cricket team. The men were arrested and denied entry upon their arrival at Kuala Lumpur International Airport on March 17.
According to international media reports, the Malaysian Border Control and Protection Agency (AKPS) detained the individuals after discovering they had presented a forged invitation letter allegedly issued by Penang Cricket, claiming they were participants in an upcoming tournament.
Upon verification, authorities found no evidence of such a tournament scheduled between March 21 and March 23, contradicting the group’s claims.
“There was no record of a cricket tournament during the specified dates,” an AKPS official confirmed.
Further raising suspicion, the supposed guarantor of the group at the airport admitted he had no knowledge of the event and was merely representing a company.
Following these revelations, the Malaysian immigration department issued a “Not To Land” (NTL) notice, preventing all 15 men from entering the country.
An NTL is typically issued to travelers who fail to meet entry requirements, such as those using fraudulent documents or lacking legitimate travel proof.
AKPS officials reiterated their commitment to cracking down on individuals attempting to misuse sports visas for unauthorized entry.