Property owners should be wary on who they rent their property to, in a raid conducted by Penang police, the officers managed to smash an online gambling syndicate said to be raking in profits of up to RM1 million a month operating in high rise luxury condominiums.
The group were using these luxury condominiums to cover their activities, a strategy that eventually was uncovered by the authorities. Penang police chief told the media that they managed to arrest eight men aged 19 to 21 and a 29-year-old man who is thought to be the mastermind of the syndicate. According to him, preliminary investigations found that they were using luxury condominiums to conduct online gambling activities in an attempt to deceive the authorities.
“The rented premises were used as call centres for online gambling,” he added.
Online gambling has flourished in the country during these past years and regain popularity during the MCO. There places were operating round the clock, with staffs using computers and smartphones to conduct gambling activities.
“The syndicate targeted customers in the north, namely Penang, Perak and Kedah, by using various messaging applications. They would send random messages in large numbers and interested customers would contact the syndicate to gamble.
“Customers who want to gamble online would have to deposit a certain amount of money in an account given by the syndicate before they were given a password or further information for them to play,” said the Police Chief.
