Latest news with #DatukMKumar
Malay Mail
3 days ago
- Malay Mail
Police rescue two teenagers abused and forced to work for online sex fraud syndicate in Johor operation
JOHOR BARU, July 14 — Police rescued a 15-year-old boy and a 16-year-old girl believed to have been sexually abused and forced to work as members of an online sex fraud and extortion syndicate through an operation dubbed Op Bugil carried out here and in Kulai from June 20 to July 1. Johor Police Chief Datuk M. Kumar said another victim, a 26-year-old man, was also rescued. He said nine suspects, two of whom were women, were arrested. According to Kumar, investigations found that the syndicate had been operating since November last year, recruiting locals, including minors, as scammers with salaries ranging from RM2,200 to RM4,000 per month. He said the syndicate also offers them to work abroad, including in Laos, with a more lucrative salary of around US$2,500. 'The victims were recruited for an online sex fraud with the syndicate creating fake social media accounts for extortion purposes. They were locked up, forced to eat chilli and sexually abused, including being stripped naked, and all these actions were recorded for the purpose of extortion,' he told a press conference here today. Kumar said the victims were forced to work 12 hours a day with only one day off after two weeks, and had to sleep at work and were prohibited from leaving except on designated holidays, while their identity cards and mobile phones were taken from them. Meanwhile, Kumar said the syndicate carried out their fraudulent activities by using women to lure the victim to make obscene video calls on social media and then hacked the victim's mobile phone after clicking on the link provided. 'This syndicate would send a link to the victim's mobile phone, and when the victim clicked on it, the syndicate could access the contact list and photo gallery on the mobile phone. The syndicate then threatened to distribute pornographic video recordings of the victim if the victim refused to pay them,' he said. Kumar said 27 mobile phones of various brands, personal documents, plane tickets, currency exchange receipts, a sum of cash, a laptop, 49 SIM cards, employment books, as well as vehicles, were also seized throughout the operation. Further investigations were ongoing, he added. — Bernama
Malay Mail
3 days ago
- Malay Mail
Johor police seize ecstasy, marijuana worth RM3.55m in major drug raid, arrest local man and two Vietnamese women
JOHOR BARU, July 14 — Police seized various types of drugs worth RM3.55 million and arrested a local man and two Vietnamese women in special operations conducted on July 10 and 11. Johor police chief Datuk M. Kumar said the three suspects, aged between 32 and 39, were arrested during separate raids conducted by the Narcotics Criminal Investigation Department of the state police and the Johor Baru Selatan district police. He said the syndicate, which is believed to be active since April this year, used gated and guarded residences to store and process the drugs before distributing them to the local market. According to him, the drugs were seized following the arrest of the local man by a roadside, which then led the police to raid a rented room in a shophouse here. 'The suspect also led the police to conduct raids at three luxury condominium units, also rented by him, where more drugs were seized and two Vietnamese women were arrested,' he told a press conference at the Johor Police Contingent Headquarters, here today He said that in total, the police seized 20.7 kilogrammes (kg) of powder, suspected to be ecstasy, 18.49 kg of marijuana, 154.25 grams of ketamine and 141 grams of erimin 5 pills, as well as various equipment for processing and repackaging drugs, as well as RM800 in cash. He said the current drug trafficking trend also appears to be shifting towards marijuana flowers, based on recent seizures. 'This may be because marijuana flowers have a higher hallucinogenic effect due to their purity, besides being more expensive, with an estimated market value of RM36,000 per kilogramme,' he said. Kumar said all the suspects, who tested positive for methamphetamine, were on remand until July 17, and the case was being investigated under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 and Section 6(3) of the Immigration Act 1959/63. — Bernama
Malay Mail
23-06-2025
- Malay Mail
Johor police dismantle RM7.1 million drug syndicate in double raid, arrest three suspects including two Vietnamese women
JOHOR BARU, June 23 — Johor police have successfully busted a drug trafficking syndicate believed to have been active since the beginning of this year through two separate raids in residential areas around Johor Baru, with the value of the seizure estimated to exceed RM7.1 million. Johor police chief CP Datuk M Kumar said the special operation was carried out by the Narcotics Criminal Investigation Department (NCID) of the Johor police contingent headquarters with Bukit Aman Narcotics Criminal Investigation Division, at about 7.30 pm, between June 14 and 15. He said that in the first raid at a two-storey terrace house in Taman Mutiara Rini, police arrested a 45-year-old local man believed to be the mastermind along with a 34-year-old Vietnamese woman. 'As a result of the inspection, police seized 2.67 kilogrammes of powder believed to be ecstasy and 368 grammes of drugs suspected to be marijuana,' he said in a press conference today. Following the arrest, police launched a second raid on another terrace house about a kilometre from the first location, which had also been rented by the same male suspect since May 2024 and arrested a 23-year-old Vietnamese woman. 'In this second raid, police seized 38 kg of ecstasy powder and 1.37 kg of ketamine,' he said. In both raids, police also seized two cars worth RM190,000, cash RM49,150 and various jewellery worth RM17,630, with the total seizure amounting to RM265,615. He said the two foreign women were believed to have entered the country legally, but further investigations were being conducted into their travel documents. The syndicate is believed to operate in an organised manner, including using social media and delivery via 'runners' and police believe there are still members at large out there and investigations are underway to track them down. He said that apart from being used as a residence, the first house is believed to be used as a place to store drugs, while the second house is a location to package the drug powder into small packets which are believed to be sold in the local market for RM250 to RM350. Kumar said urine tests showed that the man involved tested positive for methamphetamine while the two foreign women tested positive for ketamine and benzodiazepines. All of them have been remanded until June 26 for further investigation under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 and Section 6(1)(c) of the Immigration Act 1959/63. — Bernama
Malay Mail
13-05-2025
- Business
- Malay Mail
Police investigating Johor spa for cheating after customers who paid up to RM10,000 unable to get treatments
JOHOR BARU, May 12 — Johor police today confirmed receiving 130 alleged fraud complaints about a spa and wellness company here whose customers claim to have lost over RM690,000 so far. State police chief Datuk M. Kumar said the reports began surfacing earlier this month. 'We confirm that we have received reports from the victims who claim to have been cheated by the spa and wellness company,' he said in a media statement. 'So far, 130 police reports have been lodged at the Johor police contingent since early May with a total loss of RM698,155.67,' he added. Kumar said early investigations found victims were offered prepaid treatment packages based on the number of sessions, redeemable at outlets nationwide. 'The victims later found out that the company had already ceased operations at all outlets without any notification,' he added. He confirmed that police are investigating the company identified as '38 Speed Relax & Wellness', under Section 420 of the Penal Code for cheating. MCA Youth complaints and public service department head Heng Zhi Li told the media previously that it had been approached by numerous customers for help. He disclosed that many signed up for the company's packages ranging from RM2,400 to RM10,000 with monthly payments between RM288 and RM388, only to discover later that they were unable to set appointments for treatments.
Malay Mail
08-05-2025
- Malay Mail
Johor cops bust loan shark gang targeting Malaysians in Singapore, used meth-fuelled runners to splash paint, lock homes over unpaid loans
KUALA LUMPUR, May 8 — A loan shark syndicate targeting Malaysians working in Singapore has been dismantled following the arrest of four individuals in raids around the city. Johor police chief Datuk M Kumar said the suspects, three local men aged between 30 and 34, and a 27-year-old woman, were detained by the Johor Baru Selatan district police's D7 Criminal Investigation Division on April 17, according to a report published in Buletin TV3 today. 'Initial investigations revealed the group was paid between RM100 and RM350 to commit acts of mischief such as splashing paint, locking victims' homes, and issuing threats to those who failed to repay their loans. 'Items seized during the raids included a car, four mobile phones, a can of paint, a small knife, house keys with keychains, victim information sheets, and materials used for writing threat notes,' he said in a statement today. Kumar added that all suspects tested positive for methamphetamine. He said the syndicate lured Malaysians working in Singapore by offering loans via social media platforms such as Facebook and TikTok. 'The loans were transferred directly into borrowers' bank accounts without any formal agreements, and interest rates ranged between 20 and 50 per cent, with transactions conducted through Singapore-registered accounts,' he said. Kumar said police believe nine cases have been solved following the arrests — six in Johor including Johor Baru Selatan, Johor Baru Utara, Kluang, and Seri Alam, and three in Pahang. 'The case is being investigated under Section 427 of the Penal Code (for mischief), Section 29B of the Moneylenders Act 1951 (for harassment of borrowers), and Section 15(1)(a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 (for drug use). 'The suspects are scheduled to be charged at the Batu Pahat Magistrates' Court today,' he added.
