PETALING JAYA : A Malaysian woman and her husband, a foreigner, were nabbed on Monday for carrying out illegal cryptocurrency mining and online gambling activities in Ara Damansara here.
Police also seized RM1.41 million in local currency from the 27-year-old woman who is a former banker turned businesswoman and her 33-year-old foreign spouse.
Petaling Jaya police chief ACP Nik Ezanee Mohd Faisal said today a police team from the district and federal commercial crimes investigations department (CCID) raided a terrace house at about 1.15pm on suspicion of carrying out illegal activities before arresting the couple.
He said checks on several computers found in the house showed the couple were allegedly involved in the mining of cryptocurrency which was not registered with Bank Negara.
Nik Ezanee said on checking a store room at the house, investigators found a safe which the couple refused to open despite being ordered by police to do so.
He said police summoned the help of the fire and rescue department to force open the safe before recovering RM1.41 million from it.
Nik Ezanee said in a follow-up operation, the foreigner led police to an apartment at the Sunway Lagoon Resort condominiums where a 31-year-old man and a 30-year-old woman, both foreigners, were held.
He said both the suspects admitted to working for the first foreigner who was arrested.
“Initial investigations show that the duo were hired to build online gaming applications and were each paid RM9,000 a month. Checks on their computers also revealed that they were involved with online cryptocurrency investments and online gaming. They target the Chinese market.We do not discount the possibility of their involvement in money-laundering activities. Investigations are ongoing determine where the seized cash had come from. The four suspects are being held under a four day remand order and we are looking for remaining members of this syndicate.” he said.
Nik Ezanee said the bust also uncovered a new tactic by such syndicates that no longer run a large operation in a single location but scatter its members in various areas to avoid being traced easily by police.
