87 Chinese Nationals Involved In Investment Scams Nabbed In Puchong

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Some of those detained in Immigration Department raids in Setiawalk, Puchong, today. (Bernama pic)SERDANG: The Immigration Department detained 87 Chinese citizens on suspicion of being involved in illegal online investment and gambling activities in raids at several condominium units around Setiawalk, Puchong, here today
Department director-general Khairul Dzaime Daud said some of those detained did not have valid travel documents or had overstayed
He said the enforcement team also found computer screens displaying investment schemes for forex and cryptocurrency activities
The premises were believed to be also used as training centres to approach clients via online apps
‘’They were believed to have started their activities last month
“Online conversations were found showing clients had been cheated and experienced losses from investments offered to them,’’ he told reporters at the location
A total of 160 officers from the Immigration Department, police, Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission and the Malaysian Civil Defence Force took part in the operation
Khairul said the syndicate had changed tactics by renting condominium units instead of large commercial buildings to evade detection
‘’The accommodation units were also turned into operation centres, equipped with laptop computers and internet facilities
‘’The syndicate also bought about 800 SIM cards, estimated to be worth RM24,000, from nearby outlets,’’ he said
All the 79 men and eight women, aged 21 to 36, were remanded for 14 days and the case is being investigated under Section 6 of the Immigration Act 1959
In KUALA LUMPUR, 23 people, including five women from China, were arrested on suspicion of being involved in an online fraud syndicate during raids at three condominium units in Damansara Perdana yesterday
The raids, under the operation codenamed “Op Nuri”, were conducted simultaneously by the Commercial Crime Investigation Division from the Petaling Jaya police at 5.30pm
Petaling Jaya district police chief Mohd Zani Che Din said all those detained were present at the units during the raids
In the first unit, police detained four men suspected to be from China, after they failed to provide any identification documents. Further checks found four units of laptops and four mobile phones
In the second unit, three men suspected to be from China were detained, with 10 mobile phones and four laptops seized
In the third unit, police arrested 11 men and five women, all Chinese nationals, besides confiscating 15 mobile phones and five laptops
He said all suspects, who had been actively involved in the syndicate for about a month, were taken to the Petaling Jaya police headquarters for further action
Further investigations were under way to determine the modus operandi of the syndicate and identify the victims. - FMT

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