KUALA LUMPUR: The syndicate that kidnapped two foreigners rescued in Kedah last week is linked to two other cases in Kuala Lumpur, say police.
Bukit Aman Criminal Investigation Department director Datuk M. Kumar said that prior to the two foreigners saved on Aug 7 in Alor Setar, two other victims were detected in Kuala Lumpur in July.
“In that (July) incident, one of the victims had escaped on her own and filed a police report. There had been no reports lodged prior to her escape.
“Based on her report, we managed to rescue the other victim. Both were kept in the same location,” he said at a press conference at Bukit Aman here yesterday.
On the rescued victims in Alor Setar, he said investigations showed that the 72-year-old Singaporean man and the 33-year-old Chinese woman had no prior knowledge of each other or the suspects before being approached online.
“The male victim was reported to have left his home on July 26, to travel to Penang but was then uncontactable. However, he sent a voice message to his family on Aug 4, informing them that he had been held captive and would only be released upon payment of S$1mil (RM3.1mil) in ransom, part of which was paid to the kidnappers before the rescue.
“Meanwhile, the woman claimed she was kidnapped by a group of unidentified individuals on Aug 5, before being held at the same location as the first victim.
Prior to the incident, the victim had become acquainted with a foreign woman through WeChat, who invited her to Penang to meet a man,” he said.
The woman was then extorted for USDT 20,000 (cryptocurrency) in ransom and was threatened to be sent to Myanmar. She then contacted her family to borrow money, but no ransom had been paid for her.
“The modus operandi included targeting victims through dating applications and social media platforms such as Telegram, WeChat and Badoo.
“They would establish contact with potential victims before inviting them to meet, or offering holidays, employment opportunities or social activities.
“Once they met the suspects in person, the victims would be abducted and detained before being ordered to disclose their banking information,” Comm Kumar said.
Victims were also tortured as they were found with wounds “from a sharp object”.
The police are currently working with their international counterparts to identify other criminal records linked to the arrested foreign suspects.
In an unrelated matter, Bukit Aman is expected to file for an inquest over the Durian Tunggal shooting in the next few days.
“We have completed our investigation. The decision has been made for the inquest.
“The inquest process will take time, as you can see in Sabah. The same process will take time, and it will be a thorough process,” he said adding that the inquest would be held in Melaka.
Three men, aged between 24 and 29, were killed during a police operation at an oil palm plantation in Durian Tunggal on Nov 24, 2025.
