IMMIGRATION authorities have dismantled a covert online gambling syndicate allegedly run by Chinese nationals from a luxury apartment in Kuala Lumpur, arresting 11 individuals in a special operation last Thursday.
Immigration director-general Zakaria Shaaban said the raid, which took place at 3.50pm along Jalan P. Ramlee, was carried out by officers from the department’s Intelligence and Special Operations Division based in Putrajaya.
"Ten men and one woman aged between 20 and 40 were detained. The syndicate had converted upscale residential units into gambling hubs aimed at foreign markets," he said in a statement on Saturday.
The operation uncovered the use of messaging platforms such as Telegram and WhatsApp for promotions and coordination of gambling activities.
Further checks revealed immigration violations among the detainees. Two individuals had abused their social visit passes, five had overstayed their permitted duration, and four others – three men and one woman – held no valid travel documents.
Authorities also confiscated seven Chinese passports, 11 laptops, seven mobile phones, three desktop computers, and RM3,900 in cash.
Zakaria confirmed that the detainees are being investigated under Regulation 39(b) of the Immigration Regulations 1963, Section 15(4), and Section 6(3) of the Immigration Act 1959/63.
“All the individuals are currently in custody at the Putrajaya Immigration Office pending further investigation,” he said. - October 12, 2025
