Malaysia: 5 suspected of working for illegal online gambling syndicate

Those arrested acted as credit transfer agents while promoting an online gambling platform

Malaysia.- Police in Malaysia have closed a call centre at a Tepian Bayu condominium in Johor’s Marina Bay, where five men were running an illegal online gambling operation. All five men were arrested.

The suspects, aged between 20 and 40, allegedly acted as money transfer providers while promoting the group’s online gambling platform. Police seized four laptops, 20 mobile phones, three wireless routers, two home access cards and RM3,950 (US$850) in cash.

Johor police chief Datuk Kamarul Zaman Mamat said the operators were paid a base salary of RM3,000 a month and received a 15 per cent commission. In a press conference, he stated: “This syndicate is believed to have been operating since March this year and has an estimated daily collection of up to RM15,000 by targeting customers from Singapore.

The five suspects face fines of RM5,000 to RM50,000 and a jail term of up to three years if convicted.

15 Malaysians rescued from cybercrime operation in Cambodia

The Cambodian Foreign Ministry has reported that it has rescued 15 Malaysian citizens who had been subjected to illegal work linked to gambling and fraudulent call centres. According to The Borneo Bulletin, the victims have arrived in Kuala Lumpur after being rescued from an illegal operation that was raided by police as part of a large-scale operation.

The victims said they were lured to Cambodia by promises of high-paying jobs in casinos and hotels but were instead forced to live in compounds and defraud online users. Cambodian authorities say they have found evidence of illegal gambling, illegal confinement, torture, prostitution, illegal possession of weapons, money laundering and human trafficking.

Such a case is not uncommon in Cambodia. Last week the Cambodian Foreign Ministry reported that at least 67 Vietnamese citizens had escaped from a casino in the city of Bavet.