Fugitive ‘Broken Tooth’ may be hiding in Malaysia, says report

 

Wan Kuok Koi (centre) being driven away from the Macau prison by two unidentified men on Dec 1, 2012. The Australian and US authorities are also probing into Wan’s alleged illicit activities. (AFP pic)

PETALING JAYA: A Chinese triad boss, Wan Kuok Koi, is believed to be hiding out and continuing his operations in Malaysia, according to a report in Singapore’s The Straits Times.

The 65-year-old gangster, better known as Broken Tooth, is believed to be wanted by the Malaysian police since Oct 16 last year for alleged  gangsterism and fraud involving RM6 million.

Wan had previously served 14 years in a Macau jail after being convicted of loan sharking, money laundering and heading a criminal group, before being released in 2012.

A source told the paper that a police report was filed against Wan last September after he failed to transfer shares of Inix Technologies Holdings, a Bursa listed company, to a third party as previously agreed.

Wan had been appointed non-executive chairman of Inix in August, but resigned a few months later on Dec 2.

“The police are also aware that there is an investigation launched by their Australian and US counterparts on Wan’s illicit business activities, but they have yet to detect any attempts by him to expand his criminal activities here (in Kuala Lumpur),” the source continued.

According to the Malaysian Immigration Department, Wan had left the country in December 2019.

However, the source said that according to details in the police report lodged in September, information suggested that he re-entered the country in January 2020, although it is unclear how he did so.

He was blacklisted by the US government soon after his resignation from Inix. The US claims he had helmed the 14K triad outfit and was involved in drug trafficking, illegal gambling, racketeering, human trafficking and other criminal activities.

Last month, a Reuters report said the US Treasury had alleged that Wan was expanding his activities throughout Southeast Asia on the back of China’s Belt and Road infrastructure initiative.

It is also understood that Malaysian authorities are investigating share price manipulation relating to Inix, linked to unusual trading activity in the company’s stock around the time Wan was made a board member.

“Although investigators believe that there was some element of manipulation, there has been no evidence linking the company to this illegal activity,” the source said.

FMT has reached out to Inspector-General of Police Abdul Hamid Bador for comment. - FMT