STAFOC to track down ATM hackers

Elite unit of the police force has multi-tasking capabilities to tackle a wide range of serious crimes.

KUALA LUMPUR: A Bukit Aman special task force on organised crime (STAFOC) is now involved in efforts to track down the suspects, believed to be Latin Americans, who masterminded the syndicate that hacked automated teller machines (ATMs) in the country.

Bukit Aman CID Director Mohmad Salleh said the force had its own expertise in tracking down the suspects.

STAFOC is an elite unit of the police force with multi-tasking capabilities formed in January this year to manage and tackle serious crime, illegal syndicates, gangsterism, gambling, vice and human trafficking.

So far, no account holder had reported any loss of funds, he said when contacted today.

The syndicate is reported to have hacked 17 ATMs in the federal capital, Selangor, Melaka and Johor Baharu involving losses totalling more than RM3 million.

Meanwhile, Bukit Aman Commercial Crime Investigation Department Director, Mortadza Nazerene when contacted said several individuals had been called up to give statements on the case. –BERNAMA