An online gambling syndicate believed to be led by foreign nationals and generating nearly RM1 million in monthly profits has been dismantled following a raid by the Johor Immigration Department at Puteri Harbour, Iskandar Puteri last Wednesday.
Johor Immigration Director, Datuk Mohd Rusdi Mohd Darus, said the operation at a residential apartment resulted in the arrest of eight individuals, including two Chinese men and five Thai women aged between 33 and 38, along with a two-year-old Chinese boy.
Investigations revealed that the syndicate, allegedly masterminded by a 38-year-old Chinese national, targeted gamblers from Thailand and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), using Malaysia as its operational base. The case reflects a growing trend of cross-border cybercrime exploiting local infrastructure for illegal activities.
According to authorities, the group’s modus operandi involved players contacting operators via phone to carry out financial transactions using bank accounts in their respective countries. Syndicate operators would then credit gambling points into the players’ online accounts.
Initial findings indicate the syndicate had been active for the past three months and was capable of generating approximately RM900,000 in monthly revenue. The scale of operations highlights the increasing sophistication of illegal online gambling networks in the region.
During the raid, enforcement officers seized RM2,500 in cash, seven computers, 34 smartphones of various brands, and a printer. All suspects are currently being detained under the Immigration Regulations 1963 to facilitate further investigations.
In a broader enforcement update, Mohd Rusdi revealed that the department had carried out 458 operations in the first three months of the year, leading to 1,452 arrests for various immigration-related offences. These included high-profile cases such as passport syndicates, ‘counter-setting’ activities, and human trafficking.
