A group of 15 Bangladeshi men, claiming to be part of a cricket team, was arrested and denied entry into Malaysia after immigration authorities exposed their fraudulent attempt to enter the country under the guise of participating in a cricket tournament.
According to international media reports, the group was detained at Kuala Lumpur International Airport on March 17 by the Malaysian Border Control and Protection Agency (AKPS).
The agency revealed that the individuals tried to deceive law enforcement by wearing cricket jerseys and presenting an invitation letter purportedly issued by Penang Cricket.
However, after a thorough verification process, the AKPS determined that the letter was fake and found no evidence to support their claim of being a genuine cricket team.
Authorities also discovered that no cricket tournament was scheduled between March 21 and March 23, contradicting the details provided by the group.
“We found that there was no such cricket tournament scheduled from March 21 to March 23,” stated an AKPS official.
Adding to the suspicion, the ‘guarantor’ accompanying the group at the airport admitted to not knowing the tournament and disclosed that he was merely acting as a company representative.
Following the revelation, the immigration department decided to issue a "Not To Land" (NTL) notice to the individuals, barring them from entering Malaysia.
An NTL is issued to travelers who fail to meet entry requirements, including those with a criminal record or those unable to provide necessary documents such as visas, return tickets, proof of accommodation, or financial resources for their stay.
AKPS officials emphasized that strict action would be taken against anyone misusing sports visas for unauthorized entry into Malaysia.