65 Chinese nationals nabbed over online scam in Ipoh

The Perak Immigration Department arrested 65 Chinese nationals for alleged involvement in an online scam.

Its director-general, Khairul Dzaimee Daud, said the suspects, aged between 17 and 55, were caught by surprise when a raiding party stormed two triple-storey houses in Gerbang Maju Rapat in Ipoh at 3.30pm on Wednesday.

"Everyone was carrying out online activities and as soon as they realised the presence of Immigration officers, they tried to run away. Some of them were aggressive but we managed to control the situation and prevented them from escaping," he said in a press conference at the Perak Immigration Department office yesterday.

"All of them are believed to have been carrying out online activities since last week." 

In the raid, Immigration officers seized various equipment including 232 mobile phones, 45 laptops, 26 computer monitors, a credit card machine, 140 bank cards and 47 Chinese identity cards.

Khairul Dzaimee said the suspects, who included four women, have been detained for investigation for not having valid travel documents and for abusing social visit or work passes.

He said the department will work with other agencies such as Bank Negara, police and the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission to curb online scams.

Khairul Dzaimee denied claims that Immigration officers were involved in the Cyberjaya online scam syndicate which was busted on Nov 20.

He said investigations into the case were completed and all the 680 Chinese nationals arrested in the raid in Cyberjaya will be charged in the Sepang Sessions Court tomorrow and on Monday.

"I have contacted the China embassy and they will give full cooperation and hoped that the case will be prosecuted quickly," he said. 

"On the part of the Immigration, once the case has been disposed of, the Chinese nationals will be deported and blacklisted from entering Malaysia.” 

He said the department had arrested 941 Chinese nationals involved in various online scams, namely 680 people on Nov 20 in Cyberjaya, 104 on Nov 26 in Sabah, 52 on Nov 29 in Sarawak, and 105 in Perak nabbed on Dec 9 and 12. 

Meanwhile, Perak police busted an online gambling syndicate led by a Chinese national, with the arrest of 18 people, including four women, yesterday evening.

Police chief Razarudin Husain said all suspects were in their 20s and, based on investigations, the syndicate had been in operation for two weeks. 

Their focus was on online gambling, with Chinese nationals as targets.

Payments were made through the WeChat application, he added.

The raid also saw the seizure of 46 mobile phones, 16 laptops and cash totalling RM734.

Razarudin told this to reporters after attending a ceremony on a shooting skills assessment held in conjunction with the 212th Police Memorial Day at the Perak contingent headquarters in Ipoh today. — Bernama