ALOR SETAR, Aug 6 — A husband and wife, previously reported missing together with their nine-year-old son, have been detained for allegedly operating a fraudulent ‘kutu’ scheme.

Kubang Pasu police chief Supt Mohd Radzi Abdul Rahim said the couple, aged 36 and 39, surrendered at the Kubang Pasu district police headquarters at about 1.30 am today.

“They are being detained under Section 420 of the Penal Code over alleged fraud linked to a ‘kutu’ (money pool) scheme that resulted in losses of RM25,000. Both have been remanded for four days from today.

“Police have also received a report from a man who alleged he was cheated out of RM25,000 in the scam,” he told Bernama today.

Police had previously confirmed receiving a report on the disappearance of a family of three, including their nine-year-old son, which went viral on social media recently.

A relative reported the family of three missing at the Bukit Kayu Hitam Police Station, saying they had been unreachable since 20 July. The boy’s teacher later alerted authorities that he had not turned up for school. — Bernama