Penang police raided three condominiums used as online fraud call centres, arresting 11 suspects including foreign nationals targeting victims across Asia
GEORGE TOWN: Police have dismantled an online fraud syndicate operating from three condominiums in Sungai Nibong.
Eleven individuals were arrested in raids conducted last Friday by the state’s Commercial Crime Investigation Department.
Penang police chief Datuk Azizee Ismail said the arrests comprised three Chinese men, two Taiwanese men, two Vietnamese men and one woman, one Japanese man, and two local men.
Their ages range from 21 to 56 years old.
“Initial investigations found that all suspects were working as customer service agents, operating fake Facebook accounts for online fraud,” Azizee said in a statement.
The syndicate is believed to have begun operating in early April.
It targeted victims from China, Japan, Taiwan and Vietnam through social media platforms.
During the first raid, police seized 11 iPhones, a WiFi router, house keys, an iPad, a laptop, two computer monitors, two CPUs, two keyboards and an internet switch.
Multiple mobile phones of various brands and another set of house keys were confiscated in the second raid.
Azizee said the suspects admitted to starting work as customer service agents in early April around Sungai Nibong.
They have been remanded to assist with investigations under Section 420 of the Penal Code for cheating.
