KUALA LUMPUR: An Indonesian businessman lost over RM1.2 million after he was double-crossed by his “business partners” apparently in a staged police raid.
Two officers from an enforcement agency and four others were arrested after the businessman lodged a police report following the incident on Sept 2.
Sources said the victim, who is in his 40’s, had met two of the suspects in Indonesia over an investment involving a palm oil plantation in Malaysia last year.
After several meetings, he came to Malaysia last week with the cash to finalise the deal.
It is learnt that the foreigner who stayed at a five-star hotel in the city was invited to meet his “business partners” and a lawyer to ink the deal at an apartment in Bukit Bintang.
When he showed up with the RM1.2 million, he was taken aback to see a group of men at the place.
The men claimed they were from the local authorities and were conducting a raid on ongoing scam activities.
They seized the cash from the victim and told him that it will be returned later after carrying out certain verification. The Indonesian was also ordered to return to his hotel and wait for their call.
However, when the victim neither heard from them nor were they reachable, he lodged a police report.
Dang Wangi police chief ACP Mohd Fahmi Visuvanathan Abdullah said yesterday that within three days police nabbed six people over the case.
He said apart from the two officers, four others including two women aged between 36 and 59 were also arrested.
It is learnt that two suspects were held in Singapore and handed over to Malaysian police while the other two were held while en-route to Thailand via Bukit Kayu Hitam.
“Investigations are ongoing and we have recovered part of the stolen cash from the suspect. We are looking for two other suspects who are at large and we believe they are in possession of the rest of the cash.” he said when contacted.
Police believe the Indonesian was played out by his “business partner” in the well hatched scam and that the palm oil plantation deal never existed.
The suspects are under a remand order and are being investigated for robbery.
In September last year, in an almost similar case, a 50-year-old local businessman lost RM7.9 million to a team of rogue cops after they raided his house in Ampang claiming he was involved in drug trafficking.
The man was away in Jakarta at the time and was alerted by his staff who told him that the raiding party had not only taken the cash he kept at his house but also the keys to three of his luxury cars.
After the businessman lodged a police report, three senior police officers comprising of a female assistant commissioner, a superintendent and a deputy superintendent were arrested.
Also held were three rank-and-file policemen and a civilian.
Police recovered over RM5 million from them.
