SUBANG JAYA: An online gambling syndicate that operated under the guise of computer companies was busted following the arrest of 161 individuals during Ops Soga XI raids on 19 premises across the Klang Valley last Thursday (July 16).
Bukit Aman Criminal Investigation Department (CID) director Comm Datuk M. Kumar said those arrested comprised 106 men and 55 women, including six foreigners, aged 19 to 62.
"Also arrested were five local men believed to be the directors and shareholders of the companies involved.
"We also seized various equipment believed to have been used to operate and promote online gambling activities, including 182 desktop computers, 137 laptops and 152 mobile phones," he told a press conference at the Subang Jaya district police headquarters on Wednesday (July 22).
Comm Kumar said the operation was carried out by the Bukit Aman CID with the assistance of the Kuala Lumpur and Selangor CID contingents, as well as the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC).
"Initial investigations found that the syndicate developed its own application before promoting it to customers, allowing them to place bets on football matches and various other forms of online gambling," he said.
He said although the application was used by customers both in Malaysia and abroad, the entire betting operation was controlled by the syndicate from within Malaysia.
"The syndicate handled an estimated RM27mil in betting credits every day," he said.
Comm Kumar said preliminary investigations also found that although the companies were registered under different names, they were believed to be operating under the same syndicate.
"We believe the syndicate was not only focused on football betting during the World Cup but also offered various other forms of online gambling," he said.
He said police had opened 14 investigation papers involving cases in Kuala Lumpur and Selangor.
"The case is being investigated under Sections 4C and 4E of the Betting Act 1953, Section 4G of the Common Gaming Houses Act 1953, and Section 120B of the Penal Code," he said.
Meanwhile, Comm Kumar said that throughout Ops Soga, conducted from June 11 to July 20, police carried out 649 raids and arrested 945 individuals, comprising 835 men and 110 women.
Police also seized nearly RM200,000 in cash and uncovered betting transactions worth RM35,148,815.88 during the operation, he said.
Comm Kumar added that police, together with the MCMC, identified 637 websites promoting online gambling activities during the operation.
"Some of the websites have already been blocked, while action is being taken against the remaining sites," he said.
