KUCHING: Sarawak police are tracking down the actual owner of the premise in Kuching City Mall that was used to conduct online gambling activities after five foreigners were arrested at the premises under yesterday's (Apr 17) Op Dadu Khas.
Sarawak police commissioner, Datuk Mohd Azman Ahmad Sapri, said in a statement today (Apr 18) the suspects, who are between 19 to 26-years-old, worked as online gambling operators with salaries of RM1,500.
"Preliminary investigations revealed the gambling den operated round the clock on shifts for the past two months. Based on records and transactions checked, it is believed that the syndicate managed to rake in gross profits of RM30,000 a month," he said, adding that the case is being investigated under Section 4(1)(g) of the Common Gaming Houses Act 1953.
Since Op Dadu Khas was launched on Apr 2, Sarawak police conducted 100 raids with 100 arrests and seizure of RM17,621 in cash, he added.
In other developments, he said losses due to commercial crimes in Sarawak for Jan till Apr rose by 65.46 per cent to RM34.3 million, compared to RM20.7 million during the same period last year, with cases rising by 19.69 per cent to 885 cases compared to 752 cases the previous year.
In another development, Mohd Azman said Sarawak police confiscated 8,739 boxes of fireworks in two raids on premises in Satok and Jalan Rubber, here yesterday (Apr 17), leading to the arrests of two men and a woman, aged between 37 to 61-years-old, for not possessing a license or permit to store and sell fireworks legally.
Another two locations, in Padawan and in Sibu, were raided for similar offences.
From Jan till yesterday (Apr 17), seven raids were conducted involving four cases in Kuching, and one each in Padawan, Sibu and Bintulu, he added. – Bernama