Police in Malaysia have dismantled a major online gaming and gambling scam syndicate operating out of an abandoned hotel in Sungai Petani, Kedah, arresting six individuals including four Bangladeshi nationals and two Malaysian agents.
The syndicate specifically targeted Bangladeshi expatriates living in Malaysia. According to Kuala Muda District Police Chief Assistant Commissioner Hanyan Ramlan, the Commercial Crime Investigation Department raided the abandoned hotel in the Taman Lagenda Indah area at around 9:30 PM on Wednesday (October 21, 2026) following public tips regarding suspicious movements in the building, which had been closed since 2022.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the syndicate had rented the abandoned hotel in June 2026 to set up an illegal call center, communicating with victims via WhatsApp and a dedicated gambling portal. Victims were lured into purchasing online game point top-ups with promises of substantial cash prizes; however, when users attempted to withdraw winnings, the system indefinitely placed their requests on "pending withdrawal" status. The fraud scheme victimized around 17 accounts daily, causing daily losses of approximately MYR 2,000 (BDT 70,000), while Bangladeshi employees were paid monthly salaries of around BDT 90,000. During the raid, police seized 17 mobile phones, computer equipment, and MYR 2,442 in cash, while continuing investigations to apprehend remaining syndicate members.
— Daily Best News Desk • Fearless in the search for truth
Reported by International Desk • Edited by the Daily Best News desk. Send corrections to [email protected].
