KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 1 — Federal police believe they have the mastermind behind a slew of Macau scam syndicates that have been running in Malaysia and who is also linked to a local gambling kingpin nicknamed Datuk Addy Kanna.
Bukit Aman Criminal Investigation Department (CID) director Datuk Huzir Mohamed disclosed the mastermind’s identity as Chen De Wei from China.
“Chen De Wei is a Chinese citizen who we believe is the leader of this group, and he is also on China’s wanted list.
“We believe he brought syndicates from China and found people to open call centres here,” Huzir told a news conference here today.
The senior policeman said Chen was arrested in a sting on call centre syndicates conducted from October 15 to 22, which saw a total of 130 arrests.
The arrest was made under Section 4(2)(a) of the Prevention of Crime Act (Poca) 1959. Chen will be held until January 8, 2021 alongside five other Chinese nationals and one Malaysian arrested with him during a raid at Mont Kiara.
Chen’s other Malaysian collaborators include Datuk Addy Kanna, whose real name is Zaidi Kanapiah, a businessman known as Alvin Goh Leong Yeong, and two other rogue policemen named Corporal Muhamad Amin Nur Rashid Mohamed Puad and Corporal Mohd Hairy Mohammad.
Huzir said the four Malaysians were arrested under the same law and will be detained for two years at three separate centres in Simpang Renggam in Johor, Pokok Sena in Kedah, and Bentong in Pahang.
He added that the decision came from the Home Ministry's Prevention of Crime Board.
The four had applied for a writ of habeas corpus last month seeking their immediate release but were rejected by the High Court here.
