BALIK PULAU: Police arrested four individuals, including two men and two women, in separate raids on Tuesday (March 11), believed to be owners of mule accounts used in several fraud syndicates, resulting in victims losing a total of RM147,600.
Barat Daya District police chief ACP Sazalee Adam said the first raid led to the arrest of a 60-year-old woman, suspected of providing her bank account for use in a phone scam.
"In this case, members of the syndicate are believed to have posed as officials from the National Anti-Financial Crime Centre (NFCC) and the Royal Malaysia Police.
"The victim was threatened with accusations of being involved in money laundering and instructed to transfer RM124,800 to several bank accounts, including the suspect’s account," he said when contacted on Wednesday (March 12).
Preliminary investigations revealed the woman had rented out her bank account and provided her banking details to another individual. Three other mule account owners were also arrested, including a 34-year-old woman and two men, aged 36 and 44, said Sazalee.
"The fraud syndicate reportedly used a similar modus operandi, impersonating authorities and sometimes offering non-existent loans. This led to a total of RM22,800 being transferred in three cases involving the other suspects," he added.
He confirmed that all four individuals arrested by the Barat Daya Commercial Crime Investigation Division are now in remand to assist in investigations under Section 420 of the Penal Code for fraud.
In a separate incident, Sazalee said police arrested two elderly men after one made a bomb threat at the check-in counter of Penang International Airport on the same day.
"At 10.30 pm, the 64-year-old local suspect jokingly claimed that his companion's luggage contained a bomb, prompting immediate security measures at the airport," he said.
A subsequent search confirmed that no dangerous materials were found in their luggage. Both men have been remanded until March 15 to assist in investigations under Section 506 of the Penal Code for criminal intimidation, he added. - Bernama
