An online gambling syndicate run by foreign nationals has been dismantled following coordinated raids across central Kuala Lumpur, according to reporting by Malay Mail.
The Immigration Department’s Special Tactical Team (PASTAK) launched the operation around 10.30 pm on Monday, targeting rented residences and small business premises in the Kuala Lumpur, Bukit Bintang area.
Locations around Jalan Alor, Jalan Changkat and Jalan Bedara were searched as part of a month-long intelligence effort. Immigration director general Datuk Zakaria Shaaban said the syndicate focused on foreign nationals as its main clientele, offering small investment schemes valued between RM50 and RM500 (US$10.50–US$105) with promises of quick, high returns.
Zakaria said the premises operated daily and saw heightened activity late at night. Officers found that the group employed foreign nationals as guards, or “captains,” who enforced strict security measures. These included facial recognition screening before customers were allowed to enter.
The raided sites are believed to have served as the network’s operational centers. During the operation, authorities checked 31 foreign men and two Malaysian men. Nineteen individuals were ultimately detained, comprising 12 Bangladeshi men, four Myanmar men and three Indonesian men, all between the ages of 21 and 50.
Zakaria said the detainees are suspected of violating Section 6(1)(c) and Section 15(1)(c) of the Immigration Act 1959/63 for lacking valid travel documents and overstaying their permitted duration in Malaysia.
Officials said investigations are ongoing as authorities continue efforts to curb illegal online gambling networks operating within urban centers.
The syndicate allegedly used foreign “captains” to enforce strict access controls, including facial recognition checks
