SHAH ALAM, May 21 — Police arrested 43 individuals, including a local citizen, believed to be involved in four separate call centre syndicates following several raids around Shah Alam and Puchong on May 19 and yesterday.

Selangor Police Chief Datuk Shazeli Kahar said that through the arrests at a two-story bungalow in Setia Alam here on May 19, police detained 13 foreigners and a local citizen believed to be involved in a part-time job offer scam targeting Iraqi nationals.

“Following the arrest of all the men, aged between 19 and 41, police also seized 20 units of smartphones, 12 units of computer sets, and two vehicles, with a total estimated value of RM123,000,” he said during a press conference at the Selangor Contingent Police Headquarters Senior Officers’ Mess today.

Meanwhile, Shazeli said police also arrested 29 foreigners, including two women, in three separate raids conducted between 11.00pm and 1.20am at Bandar 16 Sierra, Puchong, on May 19 and yesterday.

He added that the arrests involving three separate syndicates included suspects aged between 18 and 63, and that all these suspects operated out of three-story townhouse residences located close to one another.

“Investigations revealed that these syndicates were running investment scams as well as collecting financial information obtained from fraudulent activities,” he said.

Shazeli noted that the seized items for all three cases amounted to RM69,000, which included laptops, Wi-Fi routers, and smartphones.

Based on preliminary investigations, he said the syndicates are believed to have conducted online scams targeting citizens of Peru and China.

Commenting further, he stated that all four cases are being investigated under Section 420 of the Penal Code and Section 120B of the Penal Code, while all suspects have been remanded for four days until May 23. — Bernama