KUALA LUMPUR: Five Iranian nationals have been detained in connection with a series of alleged “pukau” (black magic) and theft cases reported in the city.
Kuala Lumpur police chief Comm Datuk Fadil Marsus said the suspects comprised four men and one woman, aged between 18 and 35, who were nabbed on Monday (Jan 12).
The arrests came as part of ongoing efforts to curb crimes involving foreign nationals, particularly those linked to syndicates from the Middle East.
“We have made several arrests involving Middle Eastern nationals suspected of being involved in criminal activities.
“In this case, the arrests led to the recovery of several items reported stolen by the complainants,” he said during a press conference on Friday (Jan 16).
Comm Fadil said four police reports were lodged involving the suspects, and all seized items were positively identified by the victims.
"Investigations revealed that the suspects allegedly distracted victims by showing them a cash note and asking whether it was genuine. The victims would then become confused, after which cash was stolen.
"We have identified four cases linked to the group, including one involving a Sri Lankan victim. Losses in some cases amounted to several hundred ringgit," he added
Comm Fadil said two of the suspects were found to have travel documents, while verification on the remaining suspects is ongoing.
“Initial investigations found that one male suspect and the female suspect are siblings, while the other suspects are believed to be related or known to one another,” he said.
The cases were classified under Section 379 of the Penal Code for theft.
"We are continuing investigations and are not ruling out the possibility of more cases linked to the syndicate," he said.
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