JOHOR BARU – Police have crippled an online gambling syndicate targeting South Koreans and involving bets totalling RM87 million, following raids on two bungalows in Iskandar Puteri two days ago.
Johor top cop Datuk Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay said nine South Koreans and a Malaysian, all men aged between 29 and 66, were arrested in the 5pm raids.
He told a press conference here today that the foreigners are believed to have worked as “customer service” staff for the gambling operations, while the local man acted as a runner and looked after the other suspects’ welfare, including providing them with food and accommodation.
The syndicate, which had been operating for the past two years, made Malaysia its centre of operations, and targeted individuals in South Korea via eight gambling platforms, he said.
“Preliminary investigations found that the syndicate was cheating about 1,500 victims a month, involving daily bets of at least RM1 million.
“If we look at the data kept on a seized laptop… the bet amount totals RM87 million. All the money was directly deposited into a central bank account in South Korea.”
Ayob Khan said it is the first time in Johor that South Koreans are arrested in connection to gambling activities, adding that two of the suspects entered Malaysia in December 2019, and the rest in February last year.
He said the syndicate members would move every three to six months to avoid detection by the authorities.
In the two raids, police seized six computers, four laptops, 13 mobile phones, eight ATM cards, four iPads, as well as RM36,168 and 7,779 South Korean won (RM29) in cash.
The local suspect, found to have a drug record, has been remanded for three days from yesterday, while the nine others were remanded for 14 days. – Bernama, June 7, 2021
