Dozens more Chinese arrested in Malaysia’s Ipoh for online scam
- Police confiscated 80 mobile phones, 31 personal computers, seven internet routers, several credit cards, cash in various currencies and one passport
- There were 40 suspects detained, between 18 and 54 years of age. They had been living in a rented house for the past two weeks
After a four-day surveillance, the Perak Immigration Department raided a double-storey house and arrested the 40 suspects, including two women.
The syndicate was so self-sustaining that no one had been seen coming or going from the house for days. The younger of the two women arrested was believed to have been providing sexual services to the men.
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The raid was carried out on December 9 between 4.30pm and 6.30pm at the house located on Dr Ismail.
It was the biggest crackdown for the state involving such immigrants, said state Immigration Department director Kamalludin Ismail. He added that the suspects, between 18 and 54 years of age, had been living in the rented house for the past two weeks.
“During our surveillance, none of them came out of the house and no suspicious-looking people were seen going into the house, except for food delivery workers,” he said. “My officers climbed over the wall, waited for an opportunity for someone to come out to the surrounding area before ambushing them as the bungalow had tight security with an intercom.
“When we entered the house, we saw a majority of them lying down in the living room as well as in the bedrooms while using their mobile phones. We confiscated a total of 80 mobile phones, 31 personal computers, seven internet routers, several credit cards, cash in various currencies, and one passport.”
Kamalludin said those arrested did not have valid documents with them and had misused their tourist pass, adding that they would be sent to the Langkap Immigration detention centre for staying in the country without a legal permit.
“When we entered the bungalow, it was stocked with food and supplies for at least a month,” he said.
“There were also used and unused condoms found, with each of the males having one unused condom with them. The 54-year-old woman is believed to be the cook, while we believe the 24-year-old woman was involved in immoral activities.”
He also said the department would liaise with other enforcement authorities to ascertain if those arrested were involved in other illegal activities.
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“We believe they have been carrying out online activities meant for the China market and they have been staying in the rented bungalow for more than two weeks now, ” he said. “We are still looking for the mastermind as only one passport was found, and the rest did not have any valid documents with them.”
Low Guo Nan, head of the Perak’s Malaysian Chinese Association’s public services and complaints bureau, said online scammers were increasingly like to work abroad in the hope of avoiding arrest.
“Once they gain the trust of their victims, they would persuade them for money if it is a love scam or they will be brainwashed into investing in non-existent schemes,” he said. “Usually when Chinese nationals are based out of China, they will usually target their own people back home. But they may also scam people from other countries.”
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“The man was promised a job in a casino but when he reached there, he was taken to a building that was still under construction and told that his job was to find victims for a fraudulent online gambling site,” Low said. “So there are also cases where people are offered jobs with high salaries overseas and once they reach the country concerned, only then do they realise what their ‘job’ truly is.”
Read the original articles at The Star Online, here and here
