MACC, Chinese authorities bust international fraud syndicate

 Sixteen suspects, the syndicate’s ring leaders who had been hiding abroad, were arrested in a series of coordinated operations.

The total value of the assets seized by MACC, including luxury cars and gold bars, is estimated at about RM3.5 million.

PETALING JAYA:

 The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), in collaboration with Chinese authorities, succeeded in dismantling an international fraud syndicate with the arrest of 16 Chinese nationals.

MACC said the joint operation, codenamed Op Dragon, targeted a syndicate network believed to be based and operating across multiple countries, including Malaysia.

MACC special operations division senior director Zamri Zainul Abidin said the 16 suspects – the syndicate’s ring leaders who had been hiding abroad – were arrested in a series of coordinated operations.

He said all 16 were repatriated to China to face trial.

“The repatriation process was conducted in cooperation with the Chinese embassy and the Malaysian immigration department, with all legal and diplomatic procedures duly observed,” he said in a statement.

The group was found to be carrying out cross-border fraud using various communication platforms and technologies to deceive victims.

MACC also seized assets believed to have been acquired through illegal activities linked to the syndicate, including two luxury cars, jewellery, gold bars, personal computers and laptops, cash in foreign currencies, and hundreds of mobile phones of various brands.

The total value of the seized assets was estimated at about RM3.5 million.

MACC is processing the forfeiture of these assets in accordance with the applicable laws before they are returned to the government. - FMT