Datuk Seri Nicky had links with ex-Macau triad leader, says IGP

KUALA LUMPUR: Fugitive businessman Datuk Seri Nicky Liow Soon Hee had close connections to former Macau triad boss Wan Kouk Koi.

Wan, who was better known as Broken Tooth, had been previously linked to the Inix Technologies shares investment scam.

The 65-year-old Wan was wanted by police here after he allegedly failed to transfer RM6mil in shares in the Malaysia Bursa-listed computer software company to a third party, as had been agreed.

Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Abdul Hamid Bador said the Johor police task force investigating the case also found that Wan also had a network with international drug supply element "Tse Chi Lop" who was arrested in Netherlands on Jan 24.

"Broken Tooth who founded the World Hongmen History and Culture Association had appointed Nicky as the vice president in January 2019.

"Both Broken Tooth and the association have been blacklisted by the United States Treasury Department for suspected involvement in international organised crime and money-laundering," he said.

Checks revealed that Broken Tooth was sentenced to 15 years' jail in November 1999 for illegal gambling, loan shark activities, criminal association, as well as attempted car-bombing of a police chief.

Wan was said to have led the 14k triad in the 1990s through a vicious turf war for control of VIP rooms at various casinos in Macau, with rival group Shui Fong.

Meanwhile, Abdul Hamid added that initial investigations revealed that Nicky's scam syndicate targeted victims mainly from China.

"They promised big returns for property, health products, forex and crypto currency investments such as Wincoin and Winbitex.

"They lure investors via WeChat where the investors would make payments via WeChat Pay," he said, adding that the money would then be invested in crypto currency as well as for online gambling.

Earlier Tuesday (March 30), Abdul Hamid said Johor police launched a massive eight-day-operation dubbed Ops Pelican 3.0 to cripple the syndicate beginning March 20.

"The task force consisting of 220 policemen conducted 70 operations to trace and arrest the group allegedly led by Liow, 33, who is the founder of the Winner Dynasty Group based at Setiawalk, Puchong.

"We arrested 118 individuals during these raids including Liow's two younger brothers," he told reporters at Bukit Aman.

He said they detained 42 men and six women under the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act (Sosma) consisting of 30 Malaysians and 18 China nationals.