KUALA TERENGGANU: State police crippled a syndicate peddling non-existent land in Selangor after victims lost a total of RM1.8 million to the perpetrators.
Six suspects aged between 40 and 65, including a woman were detained to assist investigations.
The suspects are from Johor, Sarawak, Negeri Sembilan and Kuala Lumpur.
State police chief Datuk Rosli Ab Rahman said investigations revealed that all suspects, including their leader were active in the syndicate that moved in several other states including Pahang, Selangor and Kelantan.
"They were involved in 18 cases in the state and 15 out of the cases have already been charged in court. Another three cases are still under investigation," he said to reporters in a press conference at the Terengganu Police Contingent yesterday.
Rosli said police are looking for at least another four of the syndicate members who are still at large to assist in the investigations.
"The syndicate's modus operandi involves approaching retired people and the elderly and offering them a plot of land in Selangor at a cheap price. The victim is then required to pay up front for the land," he said.
The targeted victims were mostly wealthy villagers and professionals.
Rosli said the victims paid between RM3,000 and RM450,000, before the syndicate members fled without any trace.
Following victims’ reports between 2012 and 2016, an integrated task force was formed between the State Commercial crime officers and Federal Commercial Crime officers in January this year, leading to the arrest of the six suspects in Pahang in February.
"They are now were being investigated under Section 420 of the Penal Code for cheating," he said.
Police also seized a BMW, a Camry. a Toyota and RM3,000 in cash from the suspects. All the seizures were worth RM152,000.