LAHAD DATU, MALAYSIA: Two masterminds behind the faking of Malaysian identity cards were arrested in a major police operation here.

The 40-year-old woman, a local, and a 39-year-old foreigner, were nabbed when a police party raided a premises at Fajar Centre, here, at around 7pm on Saturday.

District police chief Supt Md Suhaimi Ab Rahman said Sunday the duo were suspected of cheating illegal immigrants by providing fake Malaysian documents, purportedly on behalf of the National Registration Department (NRD).

"They tricked the immigrants into believing that they were NRD middlemen and could help provide them with Malaysian documents," he said, adding that they charged RM850 for an "application."

"After taking full payment, they tell the applicants to collect their identity cards from the NRD office in Sandakan," said Supt Md Suhaimi. "It is only then that they realise that they have been cheated."

Supt Md Suhaimi said many victims did not lodge reports as they were illegal immigrants.

The police team recovered several false documents including birth certificates, temporary identity card receipts, rubber stamps of an NRD officer in Kota Kinabalu and Lahad Datu.

"Police also seized several office equipment, including computers," said Supt Md Suhaimi.

He said the duo also offered their services to locals, helping them to renew their road taxes and driver's licences.

"All the new cards were fakes," he said, adding that they were in operation for at least six months. "Our action came after the public came forward to complain of the duo's activities."