KUALA LUMPUR: Police have busted a syndicate allegedly involved in outsourcing software programmers to develop online gambling applications for international clients.
Wangsa Maju police chief assistant commissioner Mohamad Lazim Ismail said the raid was conducted at two apartments along Jalan Tun Razak on June 27.
During the initial operation, authorities apprehended 15 individuals, including two Chinese.
"The syndicate recruited proficient computer experts to design software for gambling websites, compensating them handsomely with payments ranging from RM5,000 to RM12,000," he said during a press conference today.
Investigations disclosed that the syndicate, operational over the past six months, raked in approximately RM50,000 daily from each software sale to third-party buyers.
Police also detained nine individuals, including seven Chinese during the second raid.
Muhammad Lazim noted that separate probes revealed the involvement of two distinct syndicates active over the same period.
"The syndicate utilised the rented apartments as makeshift offices, housing employees including programmers," he added.
He said that investigations indicated the nine Chinese nationals arrested had entered Malaysia on social visit passes.
Separately, Mohamad Lazim highlighted the successful apprehension of three men linked to motorcycle thefts in the Wangsa Maju vicinity in recent years, through Operation Roda/Lejang last month.
"During the raid on June 26, police seized four Yamaha 135LC motorcycles, one Honda motorcycle model, and various motorcycle components," he said.
He affirmed that initial urine screenings for drugs on the suspects returned negative results, with investigations proceeding under Section 379A of the Penal Code.