Malaysian Immigration Department targets alleged illegal gambling operation in Kuala Lumpur
Immigration authorities carried out coordinated raids in Bukit Bintang.
Malaysia.- Immigration authorities have dismantled an alleged online gambling syndicate operating in Kuala Lumpur following a series of coordinated raids carried out in the Bukit Bintang area.
The operation, led by the Immigration Department’s Special Tactical Team (PASTAK) and its Intelligence and Special Operations Division, began at approximately covered locations, including Jalan Alor, Jalan Changkat and Jalan Bedara. The raids followed a month-long intelligence-gathering process aimed at identifying premises used as operational centres.
According to Immigration director-general Datuk Zakaria Shaaban, officers inspected 31 foreign men and two local men during the operation. Nineteen foreign nationals were arrested, comprising 12 Bangladeshis, four Myanmar nationals and three Indonesians aged between 21 and 50.
All those detained are believed to have committed offences under Section 6(1)(c) and Section 15(1)(c) of the Immigration Act 1959/63 for failing to possess valid travel documents and for overstaying in the country, Zakaria said in a statement.
Authorities also issued notices to two local men and one local woman, requiring them to report to the Immigration Department to assist with further investigations. It’s believed that the syndicate’s gambling activities were aimed exclusively at foreign nationals, using a model that offered relatively small investment amounts with promises of high returns in a short period of time. The premises were reportedly active on a daily basis, with peak activity occurring at night and continuing into the early hours of the morning.
Zakaria said the syndicate employed security measures to avoid detection, including appointing foreign nationals as guards and using facial recognition technology to screen customers before allowing entry. Gambling operations were concealed within rented residential properties and small business premises in an effort to evade enforcement action.
