Police cripple cheating syndicate run by 'Datuk Seris' and 'Datin Seris'

IPOH: Police here have crippled a syndicate offering fake projects run by two men and two women who posed as "Datuk Seris" and "Datin Seris".

The suspects, aged between 24 and 65, included a husband and wife who were nabbed at a bungalow on Jalan Enclave here on March 30.

This follows a police report lodged by a security guard on March 11.

Perak police chief Comm Datuk Hasnan Hassan said the report was lodged after the syndicate's 31-year-old mastermind took out a gun and threatened the guard.

“The suspect had claimed that he was a high-position special officer. As a result of the scuffle, the victim suffered injuries to his forehead and received treatment at the hospital before lodging a report,” he told a press conference here Monday (April 2).

Comm Hasnan said a team comprising personnel from the Perak Serious Crimes Unit (D9), Criminal Investigation Department, and Commercial Crime Investigation Department were dispatched to track down the suspect.

He added that this led to the discovery of the fraudulent Datuk Seri and his accomplices.

“All of them were found to have past records for fraud and illegally carrying firearms,” he said.

Comm Hasnan said three out of four tested positive for drugs, adding that packets of ganja were found in the raid.

He said the police also found fake “official stamps” of the Kedah Mentri Besar, the private secretary to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, the private secretary to the Prime Minister, a public university vice-chancellor and a chief executive officer of several private companies.

“Police also seized two guns, several framed pictures of the suspects in uniform receiving their fake Datuk Seri titles, cheque books and fake car plates, among others,” he said.

Comm Hasnan said the syndicate had cheated many victims to invest in a slew of fake projects amounting to a cumulative loss of RM1.6mil.

“They are believed to have been active since 2017 and the cases took place in Perak, Selangor, Kuala Lumpur and Negri Sembilan,” he said.

Comm Hasnan added that those arrested have been remanded until April 8 to assist in investigations under Section 324 of the Penal Code for voluntarily causing hurt and Section 506 of the same Code for criminal intimidation.

The suspects are also being remanded until April 8 to assist with the investigations into offences under Section 8 of the Firearms Act 1971 for possession of firearms without a licence, Section 36 of the Arms Act 1960 for owning imitation weapons, Section 420 of the Penal Code for cheating and Section 39A(2) of Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 for possessing drugs.