KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 9 ― Polis crippled an online gambling and scam syndicate that used a bungalow in Jalan U-Thant as its operations centre in a raid here today.

Bukit Aman CID anti-vice, gambling and secret societies division (D7) principal assistant director Senior Asst Comm Mohamad Noor Yusof Ali said in the 3pm raid, 33 men and two foreign women aged between 18 and 48 were detained.

"The bungalow was also used as a hostel with cooks provided and all those operating there almost never leave the premises,” he told reporters at the scene today.

He said the syndicate has been operating at the premises for the past three months with a monthly rental of RM20,000, adding that police also seized 42 computers and 256 handphones in the raid.

Investigations revealed that both locals and foreigners were among their targets, he said, while adding that the bungalow owner was being identified to facilitate investigations, he added. ― Bernama