According to the Johor Police Chief, Datuk Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay, the suspects, aged between 21 and 29, had acted as credit top-up and online gambling credit withdrawal operators.
Investigations revealed the men were members of a 24-hour online gambling syndicate that has been operating since March 2021.
The Police Chief mentioned the raid was the result of public information, followed by a month-long intelligence gathering conducted by the police.
The gathered information showed that the raided location was used as an online gambling centre, which offered online gambling via three websites.
Investigations showed that the transactions were made through online banking from local bank accounts that have now been identified.
Further checks showed the suspects have entered the country using social visit passes before the Covid-19 pandemic started in 2019. The passports of all suspects are believed to be held by the syndicate’s agents.
Ayob Khan explained the suspects worked voluntarily because the salary offered was lucrative and added: “All the suspects arrested were paid between RM2,000 ($474) and RM3,000 a month, apart from receiving a commission from RM500 to RM800 based on their respective monthly profits.”
During the raid, police seized three laptops, a tablet, 15 mobile phones of various brands, four wireless modems and sets of house keys.
Khan said: “The syndicate targets local customers with a collection value of between RM3,000 to RM10,000 a day. If the average is calculated since March, the syndicate’s profit is worth millions of ringgit.”
The five suspects have been detained for four days and the case is currently being investigated under Section 4 of the Open Gambling House Act 1953.
