KL busts online scam syndicate, nabs 680 Chinese nationals

Arrested Chinese nationals believed to be working for an online scam syndicate sitting at the Malaysian immigration department in Cyberjaya, outside Kuala Lumpur, yesterday. About 100 escaped the police dragnet. In addition, 8,230 cellphones, 174 lap
Arrested Chinese nationals believed to be working for an online scam syndicate sitting at the Malaysian immigration department in Cyberjaya, outside Kuala Lumpur, yesterday. PHOTO: EPA-EFE

PUTRAJAYA • The Malaysian authorities have nabbed 680 Chinese nationals who were believed to be working in the country with an online scam syndicate, local media reported yesterday.

The bust on Wednesday by the immigration department was the biggest conducted this year, Bernama news agency said.

Immigration chief Khairul Dzaimee Daud said 603 men and 77 women were detained, but about 100 others escaped after charging through a security barricade.

"We are working with the police to track them down," he said at a press conference.

"Several of our officers were injured after a group attacked and tried to break through our barricade," he added.

Those detained were aged between 19 and 35, said Datuk Khairul.

The immigration department said on its Facebook page that the raid was conducted at the syndicate's headquarters in Cyberjaya, a high-technology zone located about an hour's drive south of Kuala Lumpur.

Mr Khairul said 8,230 cellphones, 174 laptops and 787 desktop computers were also seized.

The raid was the result of a month's worth of surveillance, following complaints from the public.

The office served as a call centre, and was well secured, with guards stationed at each floor and rooms being accessible only with access cards, The Star newspaper reported.

The group has been operating in Malaysia for around six months, and investigations showed that the group targeted victims in China by offering fast and profitable returns in their investment scams.

"All transactions and payments were made by WeChat or banks in China," said Mr Khairul.

He said the detainees were found to have entered the country using social visit passes.

"Nearly all of them could not produce their passports after being arrested," said Mr Khairul.

"No representative has come forward with their documents and the Chinese embassy has been notified of developments."

They will be remanded for 14 days, he added.

Videos posted on social media, purportedly of the raid, showed people fleeing, with one man being tackled to the ground.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on November 22, 2019, with the headline KL busts online scam syndicate, nabs 680 Chinese nationals. Subscribe