Police bust telecoms hacking syndicate

- Bernama

ALOR SETAR: Kedah state police have successfully busted a syndicate with the arrest of four men involved in the stealing of access cards used to gain unauthorised telecommunication services here.

The multi-service access node (MSAN) cards, which cost between RM1,000 to RM2,000 each, belong to Telekom Malaysia (TM) and were used to make phone and video calls as well as obtain Internet access since April this year.

In a series of raids codenamed Ops Cantas Telco/TM, police recovered more than 40 MSAN cards and 20 modems from a second-hand goods store at the Angsana Light Industrial Zone here.

"52 police reports were lodged on the MSAN card thefts, with losses amounting to RM850,000. They were stolen from installation boxes belonging to TM around Kuala Muda, Kota Setar, Pendang and Yan districts," he said.

SAC Mohd Nashir said the police formed a task-force assisted by TM's security section to solve the MSAN card theft cases.

"The four suspects arrested were aged in their late 20s to 40s," said state Criminal Investigation Department chief SAC Mohd Nashir Ya.

He said the four were from Kedah and were arrested at carious locations in Sungai Petani in Aug 26 to 28.

"One of the suspects is the son of a former TM employee, and another a former TM contract worker whom we believed had the expertise to carry out the theft.

"Two other suspects are second-hand goods dealers. One of them has a previous record under the Second-Hand Dealers Act," he said at a press conference at the state police contingent Headquarters, together with TM general manager Noor Lela Baba.

"All suspects have been remanded till Sept 1 to facilitate investigations under Section 379 and S431A of the Penal Code and S6 of the Second-Hand Dealers Act.

"Police are also looking for Shahmizal Mat Isa, 35, nicknamed 'Kenit' from Taman Seri Impian here to assist investigations," he said.