Police have dismantled an online gaming scam syndicate allegedly operating from an abandoned hotel in Taman Lagenda Indah, Kedah, arresting four Bangladeshi men suspected of working for the group.
The raid was conducted at about 9.30pm on Wednesday, leading to the arrest of the four men, aged between 30 and 53.
Kuala Muda district police chief Assistant Commissioner Hanyan Ramlan said the syndicate was believed to have been operating since June, using a dedicated website and WhatsApp to communicate with customers, who were also believed to be Bangladeshi nationals.
The operation followed public tip-offs about suspicious activity at the premises, which had been closed since 2022.
“Checks revealed that the premises were being used as a call centre to handle top-ups for online gaming points linked to non-existent cash rewards,” he said at a press conference at the Kuala Muda district police headquarters yesterday.
The syndicate was believed to have targeted between 18 and 50 customers daily.
Preliminary investigations found that about 17 customer accounts a day experienced delayed withdrawals, resulting in customers failing to receive the promised money. The estimated losses amounted to about RM2,000 daily, although the actual total is still being verified.
Hanyan said each of the four detained men reportedly earned about RM2,700 a month.
Police seized 17 mobile phones, four computer processing units, eight monitors, two modems, a laptop and RM2,442 in cash. The total value of the seized items was estimated at RM18,000.
Separately, police arrested two local men, aged between 40 and 50, two days earlier for their suspected involvement in renting out the premises.
One is believed to be the property owner, while the other allegedly acted as an agent or broker handling the rental.
Hanyan said investigators were looking into whether other parties had assisted the syndicate by providing facilities, including arranging the rental of the building.
Police will also work with relevant agencies to inspect the premises’ electricity supply and determine whether any illegal connections were used.
Investigators are examining the foreign suspects’ backgrounds and how they entered Malaysia, including their reasons for coming to the country.
The case is being investigated under Section 420 of the Penal Code for cheating and Section 120B for criminal conspiracy.
Hanyan urged the public to be wary of offers promising unrealistic cash returns or online rewards, and to verify the details before making any financial transactions.
