Malaysia police dismantle illegal online gambling ring and call centre scams
34 suspects arrested as foreign-targeted investment schemes exposed.
Key points:
– 34 suspects held in Sungai Buloh for online gambling
– Call centres in Subang Jaya and Rawang linked to international scams
– Victims in Hong Kong, Australia and Singapore among the targets
Selangor police have arrested 34 individuals in connection with an online gambling operation based in Sungai Buloh. As reported by The Malay Mail, the suspects included 29 men and five women aged between 19 and 33. Only one of the detainees is Malaysian.
The raid took place at 5.10am on 30 August at a terraced house believed to be used as the syndicate’s base of operations. Selangor police chief Datuk Shazeli Kahar said the group operated daily between 9am and 11pm and reportedly earned up to RM2,500 (US$532) each day.
According to police, the syndicate members posed as women on Facebook to lure victims before directing them to gambling websites. All betting and cash-out processes were handled through WhatsApp using foreign bank accounts. All suspects have been remanded for four days from 31 August, and authorities have applied to extend the detention.
Good to know: The illegal gambling ring operated entirely online, making use of encrypted messaging and overseas banking to obscure its trail
In a separate operation, 39 suspects were detained from premises in Subang Jaya and Rawang for running fraudulent investment schemes. These targeted victims in Hong Kong, Australia and Singapore over a period from March to July. The perpetrators posed as customer service agents on social media platforms and persuaded victims to transfer money for fictitious investments.
Shazeli stated that victims usually realised they had been defrauded only after payments were made and communication ceased entirely. Authorities believe total losses amount to RM515m. Investigations are ongoing.
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