KUALA LUMPUR: The mastermind behind the scam syndicate that recruited the 43 Malaysians rescued in Peru will be tracked down by Bukit Aman, according to Tan Sri Razarudin Husain.
The Inspector-General of Police stated that the Bukit Aman CID’s Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants (Atipsom) division (D3) will interview the victims upon their return to Malaysia.
“Police will record their statements. We expect them to give us their full cooperation.
“We aim to track down the syndicate responsible, including identifying and detaining the recruiters,” he announced during a press conference in Bukit Aman on Tuesday (Oct 10).
Razarudin revealed that the 43 Malaysians, consisting of 26 women and 17 men, arrived in Peru on September 29 and were rescued on October 7.
“We believe this is the first incident involving Malaysians being deceived into working for scam syndicates in South America.
“Typically, such cases occur in South-East Asian countries like Laos and Myanmar,” he explained.
He further clarified that the 43 Malaysians legally left the country.
“We will investigate further with the Immigration Department and Wisma Putra on this matter,” he added.
The IGP assured that the police will continue to educate the public on scams.
“In addition to enforcement operations, we will intensify efforts to raise awareness on scams.
“Many people still fall victim to scams, particularly investment scams.
“We hope the public will utilize various platforms, particularly the National Scam Response Centre (NSRC) 997 hotline, to report and obtain more information on scams,” he suggested.
As reported, 43 Malaysians were rescued by Peruvian police after becoming victims of a human trafficking syndicate operating a telecommunication fraud.
The Malaysians were ensnared in the “Macau scam” originating from crime syndicates in Taiwan and China, where scammers pose as banks or public officials to deceive individuals into disclosing personal banking information or transferring money into a third-party account.
The Foreign Ministry stated that the 43 Malaysians were found by Peruvian police during a raid in La Molina, the capital city of Lima, on October 7.
The Malaysian Embassy in Lima confirmed that the victims were in good condition after visiting them.
“All victims have undergone the investigation process and will soon be repatriated to Malaysia,” the statement mentioned. However, no further details were provided on how the Malaysians were lured by the syndicate or how they ended up in Peru.
Activists and government officials have reported numerous cases of Malaysians being enticed by lucrative job offers in Southeast Asian countries like Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, and Laos, only to be forced into online romance scams and cryptocurrency schemes.
Credit: The Star : News Feed
