Penang police arrested 32 individuals, including four Malaysians, during raids on June 2 targeting three international scam syndicates operating call centres in Bukit Mertajam [1, 2, 3].
The first raid took place in Taman Pinggiran Bukit Minyak where officers broke up a love scam syndicate active since January 2026. The group targeted victims in Malaysia, China, and Taiwan. Police detained 10 foreigners in this bust: eight Chinese men, one Chinese woman, and one Taiwanese man aged between 24 and 41. Penang police chief Datuk Azizee Ismail said, "The first raid in Taman Pinggiran Bukit Minyak crippled a love scam syndicate believed to have been operating since January and targeting victims in Malaysia, China and Taiwan" [1, 2, 3].
The second raid uncovered a USDT cryptocurrency exchange scam syndicate that had been operating since April. The group primarily targeted Taiwan. Police arrested 15 suspects consisting of Taiwanese, Vietnamese, and four local men aged 20 to 49. Sources differ slightly on the breakdown: some say seven Taiwanese, four Vietnamese and four Malaysians; others specify six Taiwanese men, one Taiwanese woman, two Vietnamese men, two Vietnamese women, and four Malay men [1, 2, 3].
In the third raid, authorities dismantled a phone scam syndicate that impersonated Japanese police officers to defraud victims in Japan and Taiwan. Seven foreigners were detained, including five Japanese men and two Taiwanese men aged between 20 and 47 [1, 2, 3].
Equipment seized throughout the raids included computers, mobile phones, WiFi routers, scam scripts, fake police uniforms, fake authority cards, police badges, and satellite communication devices. The total estimated value of the seized items was about RM123,000. Datuk Azizee noted the seizure of mobile phones, laptops, iPads, Osaka Police uniforms, fake authority cards and police badges, as well as satellite communication equipment worth approximately RM20,000 during the first raid [1, 2, 3].
All cases are being investigated under Sections 420 and 120B of the Penal Code. All suspects will be remanded for further investigation [1, 2].
