KAJANG : Police crippled an international online gambling syndicate following the arrest of 16 Chinese nationals at a double-storey bungalow in Bukit Gita Bayu, Seri Kembangan near here, yesterday.
Acting on a public tip-off, a team of officers from the district Anti-Vice, Gambling and Secret Societies division (D7) raided the bungalow at about 10pm.
Kajang police chief Assistant Commissioner Ahmad Dzaffir Mohd Yussof said the suspects, aged 19 to 40, were glued to their laptops and mobile phone screens, and busy doing online gambling transactions when the police arrived at the premises.
He said the raid, led by Assistant Superintendent Lee Robert from the Kajang police headquarters, was part of ‘Op Jol’, aimed to weed out illegal gambling syndicates nationwide.
"Initial investigations revealed that the illegal gambling syndicate had only started operations for about a month.
"Checks on the 16 suspects arrested showed that 15 of them did not have any valid travel documents. The other one has a social visit pass," he said.
Police seized 16 laptops, 26 mobile phones and two modems from the premises. The case is being investigated under Section 4 (1) of the Gambling Act 1953.
"We welcome any information on online gambling activities. The public may give their information to the nearest police station as they remain our eyes and ears. We welcome tip-offs,” he said.
He said collaborations with the public will help eradicate illegal gambling activities, which are among the core concerns of the force.