KUANTAN: Pahang police recorded 1,639 commercial crime cases with losses amounting RM74 million between January and September this year compared to RM43 million registered during the same duration last year.
Pahang police chief Datuk Seri Yahaya Othman said although the number of scams reported this year has seen a decline compared to the 1,806 cases reported in the first nine months of last year, monetary losses this year displays an upward trend.
"Losses incurred due to online fraud in the first nine months of this year amounted to RM52 million with a total of 1,506 cases reported.
"The Commercial Crime Investigation Department has to step up efforts to track down the suspects and produce the culprits in court," he said in his speech during the state police contingent headquarters monthly assembly here today.
Last month, Pahang Consumer Affairs and Human Resources Committee chairman Sim Chon Siang said RM114.6 million has been lost to online scams in Pahang, with 5,941 cases reported between 2021 and May this year.
Meanwhile, Yahaya said the Criminal Investigation Department had received 1,598 cases between January and September this year which saw an increase compared to 1,453 cases recorded during the corresponding period last year.
He said violent crimes dropped by 27 cases while crimes involving property saw a 172 increase this year compared to 2023.
Yahaya said the Narcotics Crime Investigation Department had reported 10,576 arrests for various cases this year with drugs worth RM11 million seized between January and September this year.
He said the department managed to solve 94 per cent of drug-related cases, with a total of 7,913 cases solved from 8,953 investigations papers opened by the department.