Police have dismantled an online gambling syndicate operating three “calling centres” across Penang Island, arresting 111 young Chinese men and women, including university students.
Most of the suspects are local Chinese, with only two Indonesian nationals among them. Following their arrests over the past few days, the group was brought to the George Town court this morning for an application to extend their remand.
The suspects, mostly in their 20s, are reportedly well-educated, with many holding university degrees or diplomas. They were apprehended at three locations used by the gambling syndicate as calling centres in George Town: Chew Jetty Road, Gurney Drive, and Haig Road.
Police deployed two large trucks and three lorries this morning to transport all 111 suspects to court.
Due to the sheer number, the court could not accommodate everyone at once, and the suspects had to enter in batches for the remand extension proceedings.
Outside the courtroom, hallways were crowded with the group. Online gambling syndicates often operate from residential or commercial units, using “calling centres” as hubs to recruit players.
