SARIKEI: Police arrested 10 individuals in the Meradong district for holding mule accounts that facilitated deposits from online fraud cases during the first eight months of this year, up until Thursday (Sept 4).
Meradong police chief DSP Tansli Mering said that investigation papers have been opened against the individuals under Section 420 of the Penal Code.
He added that the individuals could face prosecution under Section 424C(2) of the Penal Code, which carries a jail term of between three and 10 years, along with a fine of at least RM10,000 and up to RM150,000, or both, upon conviction.
"All of the mule account holders are locals, not only from longhouses and villages in rural areas but also from Bintangor town.
"Most of them rented out their accounts and were paid RM500, while some claimed they were unaware of the misuse, according to their recorded statements," he said in a statement.
Meanwhile, on Saturday, the Commercial Crime Investigation Division (CCID) of Meradong police held a commercial crime prevention as part of the 12th Malaysia Plan project of the Meradong and Julau District Council at Rumah Edmund Labang, Sungai Tulai, Bintangor.
The programme was attended by over 80 residents, as well as Meradong State Assemblyman Datuk Ding Kuong Hiing and District Officer Thomas Geoffrey Kendawang.
The programme featured a talk by Sgt Zaini Abdullah and Cpl Muhammad Akmal Jamaludin from the IPD Meradong's CCID, highlighting the latest trends in commercial crime, especially online fraud.
Key points included explanations of the role of the National Scam Response Centre (NSRC) 997, the Whoscall app, the promotion of a QR code for access to the Commercial Crime e-Book, and efforts to raise awareness about money mule activities that often target rural communities.
The primary objective of the programme was to raise awareness and educate the public about the dangers of commercial crime, emphasising the shared responsibility of preventing fraud.
Additionally, the event also served as a platform to promote official police channels, including the Semak Mule/ CCID Check portal and their social media accounts @CyberAlertRMP and @JSJKPDRM. - Bernama
