The Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) has deployed a special team to Islamabad, Pakistan, to investigate reports involving several Malaysians allegedly detained for suspected involvement in an online scam syndicate.
Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Mohd Khalid Ismail said the exact number of Malaysians involved could not yet be confirmed as the investigation was still at an early stage.
“The Home Minister informed me about this yesterday. For matters involving certain locations, coordinated action is required, not only between our agencies but also through government-to-government cooperation,” he told reporters after the handover ceremony for All Terrain Tactical Assault E-bike (ATEB) assets today.
Also present was Bukit Aman Department of Internal Security and Public Order (KDNKA) director Datuk Seri Mohd Yusri Hassan Basri.
Mohd Khalid said PDRM was working closely with Pakistani authorities to identify the wider network involved in the alleged scam operation.
International media reported yesterday that Pakistani authorities had detained 258 foreigners during a raid on a suspected scam call centre in the residential area of Gulberg Green on the outskirts of Islamabad.
The detainees reportedly included 40 Chinese nationals and 170 Vietnamese nationals, along with Malaysians and citizens from other Asian countries.
Meanwhile, Mohd Khalid said current trends showed that online scam activities increasingly involved foreign nationals, particularly those from China.
He said the recent arrest of 182 foreigners by PDRM’s Commercial Crime Investigation Department (CCID) last month for allegedly attempting to use Malaysia as a base for online scam activities highlighted the seriousness of the issue.
Mohd Khalid also revealed that the National Scam Response Centre (NSRC) receives more than 500 calls daily, with each complaint followed up by a police report to enable the CCID to take immediate action.
PDRM is continuing to work with Pakistani authorities to establish the identities and roles of any Malaysians involved, as well as determine the wider connections of the alleged scam network.
