Johor Immigration Busts Online Gambling Syndicate Targeting Thailand, UAE

In a significant crackdown on illegal online activities, the Johor Immigration Department has successfully dismantled an online gambling syndicate that was operating with considerable financial success. The syndicate, reportedly raking in nearly RM1 million monthly, utilized a luxury apartment in Iskandar Puteri as its operational hub, targeting customers in Thailand and the United Arab Emirates.

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Hasil maklumat awam dan risikan selama tujuh hari, JIM Johor telah membuat serbuan Ops Serkap di sebuah pangsapuri mewah yang dijadikan pusat panggilan dan menahan lapan warganegara asing.

This operation, codenamed Ops Serkap, was the result of a week-long intelligence gathering and surveillance effort by the Johor Immigration enforcement team. The raid on the luxury apartment led to the arrest of eight foreign nationals: two Chinese men, five Thai women, and a seven-year-old Chinese boy. The alleged mastermind of the operation, a 38-year-old Chinese national, was among those apprehended.

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Dalam serbuan itu, turut ditahan dalang sindiket judi atas talian berusia 38 tahun. Mereka ini dipercayai telah beroperasi sejak tiga bulan yang lalu.

During the raid, authorities confiscated crucial evidence, including seven computers, 34 mobile phones, a printer, and RM2,500 in cash. The Thai women arrested were reportedly acting as call center operators, assisting gamblers with account top-ups and facilitating bank transactions. The syndicate's modus operandi involved using Malaysia as a base to conduct online gambling operations primarily for the Thai market, with some customers also from the UAE.

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Kesemua wanita Thailand yang ditahan berperanan sebagai operator bagi membantu kaki judi melakukan urusan tambah nilai terhadap akaun masing-masing serta transaksi ke bank pilihan pemain.

The Johor Immigration Department's Director, Datuk Mohd. Rusdi Mohd. Darus, highlighted the success of this operation as part of a broader effort to combat immigration offenses. He noted that since the beginning of the year, the department has conducted 458 operations, leading to the arrest of 1,452 suspects for various immigration-related violations. This bust underscores Malaysia's commitment to maintaining law and order and preventing the country from being used as a hub for transnational criminal activities, particularly those targeting foreign markets.

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Modus operandi sindiket ini adalah menjadikan negara ini sebagai pusat operasi judi atas talian bagi pasaran pemain dari Thailand serta segelintir pemain dari Emeriyah Arab Bersatu (UAE)