KUALA LUMPUR: More than RM1mil in 206 bank accounts has been frozen as police continue investigations into Global Ikhwan Services and Business Holdings (GISB). Since the start of Ops Global on Sept 11, Bukit Aman investigators have frozen RM1.35mil as well as assets linked to the company.
“The assets include 19 plots of land and 51 vehicles,” said Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Razarudin Husain.
“The freezing of accounts was conducted under Section 44(1) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001.”
The IGP said 205 accounts held RM1.35mil while another had US$1,344.26 (RM5,688).
“Among the assets were 51 vehicles, 19 plots of land, RM16,850 in cash, two luxury watches as well as animals worth RM230,000,” he said.
On a related matter, Razarudin said 24 members of GISB’s leadership were rearrested for human-trafficking offences upon the expiry of their remand recently.
“All 24 were rearrested under the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act 2007.
“The individuals, including its chief executive officer and his wife, have not been detained under the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 (Sosma),” he said.
“We are looking at extending their remand further once it expires,” he said.
So far, 93 people detained in Ops Global are still under remand while 34 are being held under Sosma.
Meanwhile, the top cop said police have identified 12 premises believed to be GISB quarantine centres in the country and abroad. These quarantine centres are believed to be used for indoctrination and to subject problematic members to mental abuse.
Pusat Kajian Ajaran Sesat (Pukas), a centre that researches deviationist teachings, had exposed the existence of these quarantine centres on Facebook.
“Our investigations showed that there were 10 quarantine centres in Malaysia and two in Indonesia and Turkiye,” said Razarudin.
“So far, three centres were raided in Ops Global on Sept 21 while seven others are not in operation,” he said.
The three centres raided were in Air Bintan in Kota Tinggi, Johor, Labu Lanjut in Sepang, Selangor, and Batu Hampar in Perak.
On claims that children rescued in Ops Global were not allowed by the Welfare Department to return to their families, Razarudin said that under Section 25(2) of the Child Act 2001, the department has the jurisdiction to place the children under its care when there are reports of neglect or abuse by parents or legal guardians.
“The children will be placed under temporary custody until a thorough investigation is conducted and a decision is made by the Attorney General’s Chambers.
“The parents of the rescued children are also suspects in the ongoing police investigations,” said the IGP.
A total of 572 children were rescued from various centres under Ops Global, when large-scale raids were conducted nationwide on businesses and premises linked to GISB from Sept 11 to Sept 21.
A total of 35 investigation papers have been opened. Police estimate that GISB has about 10,000 members.
