Penang police arrested 29 Chinese and Cambodian nationals in raids on three bungalows used as call centres by a ‘scratch and win’ scam syndicate
GEORGE TOWN: Penang police have busted an international scam syndicate targeting victims, particularly in China and Cambodia, with the arrest of 29 foreign nationals in raids on three bungalows used as call centres in Barat Daya on Sept 22.
State police chief Datuk Dennis Lim Kwang Keng said the operation by the Penang Commercial Crime Investigation Department (JSJK), based on intelligence and surveillance, resulted in the arrest of 19 Chinese nationals and 10 Cambodians, aged between 20 and 63.
The first raid in Teluk Kumbar led to the arrest of 14 Chinese men who had no travel documents, while the second raid in the same area resulted in the detention of three Chinese men, a Cambodian man and three Cambodian women.
“The third raid at Solok Bukit Belah, Bayan Baru, saw two Chinese men and six Cambodian women arrested. Those detained in the second and third raids had passports, with some having previously entered Malaysia,” he told a press conference at the Penang Contingent Police Headquarters here today.
Preliminary investigations found that the syndicate had been operating for about two to three months, renting each bungalow for RM10,000 a month and converting the premises into call centres. The suspects were believed to have received up to RM8,000 a month.
The syndicate allegedly used Facebook Live and the LINE application to target victims in China and Cambodia through a ‘scratch and win’ scheme, offering prizes of up to US$2 million.
Victims were instructed to make QR code payments for processing fees, taxes and insurance, but did not receive the promised prizes. Initial checks found that the QR codes were believed to have been registered in Cambodia, with police tracing the flow of funds and other parties involved.
Police seized more than 200 mobile phones, 17 laptops, two desktop computers, six modem or router sets, customer records, ‘Scratch and Win’ cards, suspected fake documents and studio equipment believed to have been used in the operation.
Lim said police believed the three raids were linked to the same syndicate and were tracing its mastermind.
All 29 suspects have been remanded until Oct 13. The case is being investigated under Section 420 read together with Section 120B of the Penal Code, as well as Sections 6(1) and 15(1)(c) of the Immigration Act 1959/63.
