MH370: Cops identify possible suspects in RM111,000 withdrawals from victims' accounts

KUALA LUMPUR: Police have identified possible suspects who made unauthorised withdrawals amounting to RM111,000 from the bank accounts of four victims aboard the missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370.

City police chief Senior Deputy Comm Datuk Tajuddin Md Isa said both the police and the bank involved were conducting investigations on the matter.

"We have identified the suspects involved and are gathering more evidence before we take further action.

"Do not speculate on this matter and allow us to conduct a thorough investigation," he said when met at the police headquarters Thursday.

Meanwhile, City Commercial Crime Investigation Department chief Asst Comm Izany Abdul Ghany explained that the suspects had transferred funds from three passengers' bank accounts into the account of a fourth passenger.

"The suspects then made an internet transfer of RM35,000 to another account, believed to be that of one of the suspects, two weeks prior to July 18 and made ATM withdrawals of RM5,000 daily until the account was empty.

"We are now trying to trace the identity of the suspect who opened that account," he said.

Flight MH370 disappeared en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing on March 8 and is believed to have ended in the southern Indian Ocean.

However, none of the 239 passengers and crew on board nor any remains of the plane have been found so far.