Dismantling a Pig-Butchering Scam Ring: Malaysian Police Arrest 13 Foreign Suspects

Odaily: Police in Malacca yesterday raided a residence in Kota Shahbandar, arresting 13 foreign suspects and dismantling a scam ring involved in pig-butchering fraud and fictitious cryptocurrency trading platforms. Halim Abas, chief of the Malacca Central Police District, said the ring lured Chinese victims through apps such as Telegram, QQ, and Soul, and asked them to transfer funds to so-called high-return crypto trades. Preliminary investigations show that members of the ring entered the country on tourist visas between February and September last year from the Philippines, the Taiwan region, Laos, and China, among other places, and began operating at the location about three months ago. Police seized 12 laptops, 1 desktop computer, 26 mobile phones, and 1 router, valued at about 50,000 ringgit; the suspects have been remanded until November 8 to assist with the investigation, and the victims' total losses are still being verified.