KUALA LUMPUR: A syndicate allegedly turned 18 rented chalets in Bentong, Pahang, into a scam call centre manned by foreigners posing as Taiwanese cops.
Bukit Aman Commercial Crime Investigation Department (CCID) director Comm Datuk Rusdi Mohd Isa said 14 men, including 12 Taiwanese citizens, were arrested in a raid last Thursday (Nov 5) and Friday.
He said preliminary investigations found that the chalet owner had rented all 18 units to one of the suspects for two months.
“The premises were believed to have been used as an operations centre to carry out phone scams by impersonating Taiwanese police officers.
“Police also seized 170 items, including two laptops, 15 tablets, 69 mobile phones and 70 SIM cards,” he told a press conference here on Thursday.
Other items seized included clothing, vests and caps bearing Taiwanese police logos, two scripts written in Mandarin, three vehicle remote controls, three vehicles and a digital video recorder (DVR).
Comm Rusdi said the raid was conducted by the Pahang CCID and Bentong district police headquarters' Commercial Crime Investigation Division last Thursday, with a follow-up operation carried out the next day.
“All 14 suspects have been remanded until Nov 12 to assist investigations. The case is being investigated under Sections 420 and 120B of the Penal Code,” he added.
Comm Rusdi said police were analysing the seized digital devices and communication records, as well as verifying the role of each suspect before deciding on further action.
He also urged property owners, residential management bodies and service providers to be alert to suspicious activities, including unusually large numbers of occupants and the installation of excessive communication equipment.
The police will not compromise with any individual or group involved in commercial crime, and action will be intensified against operators, supervisors, financial managers, mule account holders, infrastructure providers, local facilitators and masterminds, he said.
