A group of 15 Bangladeshi men posing as a cricket team was arrested and denied entry into Malaysia after immigration authorities uncovered their fraudulent attempt to enter the country under false pretenses.
According to international media reports, the men were detained at Kuala Lumpur International Airport on March 17 by the Malaysian Border Control and Protection Agency (AKPS).
The group arrived wearing cricket jerseys and presented an invitation letter purportedly issued by Penang Cricket, claiming they were participating in a tournament.
However, upon verification, AKPS officials found the letter to be fake and discovered no evidence supporting their claim of being a genuine cricket team. Further investigations revealed 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,” an AKPS official stated.
Adding to the suspicion, the individual who acted as the group’s guarantor at the airport admitted to having no knowledge of the tournament and disclosed that he was merely a company representative.
Following the revelation, the immigration department issued a “Not To Land” (NTL) notice, barring all 15 individuals from entering Malaysia.
An NTL is issued to travelers who fail to meet entry requirements, including those with fraudulent documents or inadequate proof of travel legitimacy.
AKPS officials warned that strict action would be taken against anyone attempting to misuse sports visas for unauthorized entry into the country.
