MALACCA: The police have detained five foreign members of a syndicate linked to a Hong Kong-based illegal gold investment scheme.
The three Taiwanese men and two Cambodian women on social visit pass were picked up at 12.45am today, at an apartment in Bukit Beruang here.
State police chief, Datuk Ramli Din said a police team which raided the apartment also found five gold bars of various sizes, believed to have been used by the syndicate in the investment scheme which was not licensed by Bank Negara.
“We found several documents related to the investment and elements of fraud, but to date, the police have not received any report from victims.
“We also found an information booklet and brochures on the investment plan which state that those who invest will be rich in three years and can be wealthy within five years,” he told reporters at a press conference here today.
He said the suspects aged between 20 and 47 were facilitating police investigations.
On the 47-year-old male suspect, Ramli said initial investigations revealed he was the syndicate leader who had been in and out of the country more than 10 times.
"According to records, the last country the man had visited before arriving in Malaysia was Thailand, and this investment scheme had been in operation since February.
"As such, the police are appealing to those who have invested in the gold investment scheme to lodge a report at the nearest police station to facilitate investigations," he added.
In another development, Ramli said total losses incurred in the Macau Scam syndicate in the state had increased to RM1.02 million involving eight victims, as compared to RM15,000 involving two victims in the corresponding period last year.
Meanwhile, he said the Love Scam syndicate recorded a decline, with RM518,000 involving 34 victims in the first four months of this year, as compared to RM1.5 million and 26 victims in the corresponding period last year.
"Most of the Love Scam victims are single mothers, unmarried and lonely women, as well as housewives aged between 20 and 60," he added.--BERNAMA