Hong Kong police busted a phone scam syndicate, arresting 17 people and seizing HK$3.67 million in cash

Odaily Odaily News: In an operation codenamed "Lightning Strike," Hong Kong police arrested 14 men and 3 women aged between 20 and 54, including 13 Malaysians and 4 locals. They also raided 3 locations and seized HK$3.67 million in cash, believed to be criminal proceeds. 

The scam syndicate recruited Malaysians from overseas, arranging their flights and accommodation to come to Hong Kong as runners. They would pose as relatives of elderly victims, falsely claiming they had been arrested by police and demanding bail money, then arranging runners to collect the cash. Police investigations revealed that the syndicate collected a total of HK$4.67 million in fraudulent proceeds between June 4 and August 14. 

The case involves 22 victims, with reported losses totaling HK$2.47 million. On August 14, police arrested 5 individuals, including 2 local men, 2 local women, and 1 Malaysian man, all of whom are currently detained for investigation. Police also recovered HK$200,000 in fraudulent funds. Police stated that some foreign currency or virtual currency exchange shops were exploited by the syndicate to process or transfer fraudulent funds, and reminded these shops to verify customer backgrounds, transaction purposes, and fund sources, while also watching for abnormal cash and virtual currency transactions. Conspiracy to defraud carries a maximum sentence of 14 years in prison. (HK01 NFT)