PROPERTY owners who allow their premises to be used by syndicates to run online gambling operations will face the full wrath of the law.
Under the Prevention of Crime Act 1959 (Poca), offenders can be detained or placed under restricted residence for up to two years and these can be extended if necessary.
Bukit Aman Anti-Vice, Gambling and Secret Societies Division principal assistant director SAC Datuk Rohaimi Md Isa (pix) told China Press that police had used Poca against 350 people involved in illegal online gambling activities last year.
“Not all the 350 people were syndicate members, they also included locals who let out their properties to these syndicates as well as those who help the syndicates in other ways,” he said.
Describing illegal online gambling activities in the country as rampant in the last few years, Rohaimi noted that these syndicates had been bringing in many young Chinese nationals to man their “call centres”.
He said police found it difficult to crack down on illegal online gambling as the suspects’ accounts and the servers for these illegal operations were domiciled overseas.
To stop the rot, Rohaimi said police no longer had to hand over foreigners caught running online gambling operations to the Immigration Department for deportation, but can now use Poca against them.
“These syndicates surely have locals helping them, thus enabling them to set up bases so easily.”
Rohaimi reminded property owners not to let out their properties to secretive tenants for the sake of high rentals.
They should also not think that they can get away scot free or lightly by claiming ignorance or that they are not directly involved in the activities of such syndicates.
Police arrested 2,758 Chinese nationals for involvement in illegal online gambling activities last year during which 185 bases or “call centres” were busted.
Also arrested were 313 locals and 203 suspects of other nationalities.
He said the locals picked up were regarded as “abettors” for providing premises or food and drinks as well as not informing police of the syndicates’ activities.
