Man remanded over haj package scam

The Star

5 hours ago

SEREMBAN: A man has been remanded for four days to assist in the probe into a haj package scam involving elderly pilgrims, who claimed they were confined and forced to walk through dangerous routes in Saudi Arabia.
Negri Sembilan police chief Deputy Comm Datuk Ahmad Dzaffir Mohd Yusoff said the 67-year-old suspect was nabbed at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport on Sunday after several reports were lodged against him.
He said preliminary investigations revealed that the victims from Mantin, aged between 30 and 60, suffered losses amounting to RM81,000.
'The victims comprised a husband and wife and their daughter. We suspect more victims may have been affected by this fraudulent scheme.
'We are still investigating to determine whether the scam was operated by an individual or through an agency,' he said at the Seremban City Council Hall yestereday, reported Bernama.
DCP Ahmad Dzaffir also called on other victims of haj scams to lodge police reports.
Media reports earlier stated that 47 Malaysian pilgrims had allegedly fallen victim to a haj scam by a local agent involving a well-known religious figure.
According to one of the victim's daughters, her parents and aunt, who travelled to Saudi Arabia on May 9, were forced to trek through dangerous routes from Jeddah to Mecca without proper documents, food or water, allegedly to avoid detection by Saudi authorities.
The group claimed they were locked in a dark, cramped room and told to pay an additional RM9,000 to retrieve their belongings, despite already having paid RM30,000 for the haj package.