TLDR Malaysian police arrested 282 people in a nationwide operation against online gambling and unlicensed lotteries. The raids covered 201 business premises and seized RM32,149 in cash. Syndicates used cafés, beverage outlets, and general stores as fronts, police said. Investigators are also examining possible money laundering under AMLA. Police will recommend cutting electricity to all 201 premises once investigations end.
Police in Malaysia arrested 282 people during a nationwide operation against online gambling and unlicensed lotteries. Officers also seized RM32,149 in cash during the raids.
The operation covered 201 business premises over the weekend. Investigators are now working to identify the syndicate leaders behind the activities.
Bukit Aman Criminal Investigation Department director Datuk M. Kumar said the operation, called Ops Dadu Khas, ran from October 31 to November 1. It took place across the country, including in Sabah and Sarawak.
Of the premises raided, 108 were linked to online gambling. The other 93 were tied to unlicensed public lottery operations.
Who Was Arrested in Ops Dadu Khas
Kumar shared the details at a press conference at Menara 2 Bukit Aman. He said those arrested were between 20 and 65 years old. The group included 229 men and 53 women.
Malaysia: 282 arrested in illegal gambling purge | Global Gaming Insider https://t.co/vs32HmDnyJ
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Of those detained, 223 were Malaysians and 59 were foreign nationals. The foreign suspects came from Indonesia, Myanmar, Nepal, and Bangladesh, and Kumar said they had been employed by local syndicates.
The suspects have been remanded for one to four days for investigation. Police plan to use the findings to identify who is running the operations, not just the people caught on site.
Officers also confiscated equipment believed to be used for illegal gambling. This