KUALA LUMPUR: It’s World Cup season and the bookies are once again trying to make a fast buck – but the police have been quicker!
In the latest police operation, four bookies were arrested here while three others were picked up in Perak.
In Kuala Lumpur, an illegal syndicate dealing with RM280,000 worth of bets on the FIFA World Cup, currently ongoing in Qatar, was busted with the arrest of four bookies.
Sentul OCPD Asst Comm Beh Eng Lai said each match involved RM10,000 in bets.
“So far, 28 football matches have been played with the bets totalling RM280,000.
“We believe the syndicate has been operating for about a month,” he said when contacted.
The four bookies, all male, were detained following a raid on a house in Taman Bukit Maluri, Kepong, at about 10.15pm last Saturday, he said. The suspects are aged between 40 and 48.
“We believe the house was being used by the bookies as a centre for illegal online betting,” he added.
ACP Beh said various items were seized, including three mobile phones, a modem, a tablet and two laptops.
The suspects have been remanded until today. One of them, he said, has a criminal record.
ACP Beh advised the public to always abide by the law and not be involved in illegal gambling.
Those with information on any criminal activity can contact the Sentul district police headquarters operations room at 03-4048 2222.
In IPOH, three men were arrested by the Perak police under Op Soga IX for alleged involvement in online gambling for the 2022 World Cup matches.
Perak police chief Datuk Mohd Yusri Hassan Basri said the suspects, aged between 20 and 50, were picked up in Ipoh and Hilir Perak districts.
He said following their arrest, the police also seized two handphones and RM900 in cash.
“The betting activity was done through an application known as JOL that allows customers to place bets online,” he said in a statement, Bernama reported.
