Miri city cyber gambling culprits face police onslaught

MIRI: Sarawak police have resolved to stamp out illegal cyber gambling activities in Miri City which had continued to thrive despite continuous statewide raids.
Sarawak Criminal Investigation Department (CID) chief Datuk Dev Kumar said DSP Lee Swee Sake who assumed the post of Miri CID chief last month had been entrusted to lead the onslaught.
"What we have now are rogue operators who operate cyber gambling outlets clandestinely especially in Miri City," he said in a statement here today.
Former Bukit Aman CID secretariat officer Lee, 38, was appointed as Miri CID chief replacing ASP Soliment Nyian on Aug 25.
He holds a Master's Degree in Crime Science from University College of London and had been serving in the police force for 12 years including Johor and Kedah.
On illegal gambling in Sarawak, Dev said police arrested 215 people, raided 74 cyber outlets, four common gaming houses and two cock fighting arenas between Aug 1 and Aug 31 this year.
"Of the 215 suspects including 12 foreigners aged between 15 and 65 years, 158 were men," he said.
He said police seized RM22,444 from 74 raids against illegal 4D outlets, and 108 computers and RM3,672 from cyber gambling outlets.
On another development, he said all family entertainment centres that operated fish and slot machines in Sarawak had been closed down for months.
"Efforts to fight illegal gambling in Sarawak are still ongoing," he added. — Bernama