KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 12 — The Bukit Aman Commercial Crime Investigation Department (CCID) will send its officers to Pakistan in the near future to obtain further information regarding the detention of 130 Malaysians in Rawalpindi last month.
Its director Datuk Rusdi Mohd Isa said the officers will meet with Pakistani authorities, record statements, and analyse the devices seized in the raid.
Examining the evidence is very important to uncover the syndicate's modus operandi, including the use of Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) uniforms to deceive victims.
"We need to arrange a meeting to obtain statements from the authorities there, in addition to examining the evidence or devices that were seized. We also want to obtain more information about the parties who brought them to Pakistan," he said during the Bukit Aman CCID monthly press conference today.
Rusdi added that PDRM received information about the detention only at the end of October through official channels of the Home Ministry (KDN) and its counterparts in Pakistan, even though the arrest was made on October 13.
Authorities confirmed the identities of all 130 Malaysians through follow-up actions involving cooperation among the police, embassies, and the International Criminal Police Organisation (Interpol).
Detailing the breakdown of the arrests, he said 59 individuals were from Sabah, 57 were from Sarawak, while the rest were from Johor, Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, and Kelantan.
"Checks found that 92 individuals do not have criminal records in Malaysia, while the others have records for various offences including drug-related, fraud, and gambling cases, and two of them are wanted by the police in connection with fraud cases in Sabah," Rusdi said.
Regarding immigration status, 107 individuals were found to have overstayed their visas, 20 had valid visas, two had visa extensions, and one lacked valid travel documents.
An initial analysis found that the Malaysians involved arrived in Pakistan in stages between June 8 and September 29, with the highest number of arrivals recorded on August 3, totalling 53 people.
Commenting on the allegations that they fell victim to job offer scams, he said that most individuals brought back from abroad previously claimed they were deceived by job offers.
"However, based on investigative experience, there are individuals who are believed to know the true purpose of being taken abroad to work related to a scam syndicate, but play different roles such as call operators, cooks, or supervisors," Rusdi said.
Previously, Pakistani media reported that the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) raided a premises at KASA Tower, Bahria Town Phase VIII, Rawalpindi, used as a call centre for financial fraud targeting victims in Malaysia.
The syndicate is reported to operate by impersonating bank customer service officers and police, in addition to trapping victims through false allegations of involvement in money laundering activities.
