ISKANDAR PUTERI: Police have arrested 71 suspects in two separate raids targeting suspected scam call centres operating under the guise of legitimate businesses in Johor on Nov 27.
The suspects, aged between 22 and 52, included 35 foreigners.
Johor police chief Commissioner Datuk M. Kumar said that in the first raid, 18 foreign men aged between 26 and 44 were arrested for allegedly running an online gambling syndicate.
The group is believed to have been operating and developing an online gambling application for both the domestic and international markets, with their illegal activities starting in early November.
Also seized were 27 mobile phones, 18 laptops, 12 monitors, a Mac Mini, an iPad, three WiFi modems, and two keyboards, worth a total of RM80,000.
The second raid led to the arrest of 53 suspects, including 17 foreigners and 18 women, aged between 22 and 52, who were believed to be running a fake online job scam call centre from a shop lot.
Kumar said that the scam operation used a two-layered system, beginning in October.
"Its 'customer service' team were tasked to blast text messages via Telegram to their targeted victims, offering lucrative commissions upon registration.
"While the second team engaged victims who responded. The operation primarily targeted victims from Russia and India," Kumar said in a statement today.
Police confiscated 53 mobile phones, 23 laptops, 16 desktop computers, and various networking equipment, valued at RM145,000, during the raid.
Both cases are being investigated under Section 420 of the Penal Code for cheating, Section 4B(b) of the Common Gaming Houses Act 1953, and the Immigration Regulations 1963. If convicted under Section 420, the suspects face up to 10 years in prison, whipping, and fines, while Section 4B(b) carries penalties of up to RM100,000 per machine and a five-year prison term.
The 18 suspects arrested in the first raid are facing charges under Section 120B(2) of the Penal Code for criminal conspiracy and are scheduled to appear in the Johor Baru magistrate's court today.
Further investigations are ongoing for those arrested in the second raid.