BY GERALD GILLES
KUCHING: Two online gambling centres operating in two different locations inside an apartment at Jalan Song here were raided simultaneously and successfully busted last night (Feb 1).
Kuching district police ACP Ahsmon Bajah said the raid was carried out about 10.30 pm under Ops Ambang Tahun Baru Cina 2022.
He said the syndicate operated 24 hours a day and was estimated to have earned a profit of RM405,000 based on the revised transaction records.
“All the suspects have been online gambling operators since September and October last year. Among them were eight Indonesian men aged between 15 and 30 years old.
“Each operator is paid a salary ranging from RM1,300 to RM1,500 and paid bonuses based on the profits earned by the syndicate,” he said in a statement, yesterday.
He added that the team also confiscated various equipment including seven computers, 11 smartphones, three modems and three Wi-Fi routers.
Ahsmon said all the suspects had been detained for further investigation. Some of the suspects had no valid travel documents while some had expired passports.
An investigation into the case has been opened under Section 4(1)(g) of the Common Gaming House Act 1953 that provided for a fine of not less than RM5,000 and not more than RM50,000 for each gambling machine seized.
The suspects are also being investigated under Section 6(1)(c) and Section 15(1)(c) of the Immigration Act 1959/63.
The eight suspects are under detention for 14 days from yesterday until Feb 15.
He stressed that similar raids will be intensified to combat illegal gambling that harm the country’s economy in terms of licences and taxes.
