Police have successfully stopped a fraudulent syndicate that had been deceiving goods suppliers through the use of counterfeit payment receipts since early June. Five members of the group were arrested during two separate police operations recently conducted in Selangor. Selangor police chief confirmed that the first operation led to the arrest of three persons, aged between 53 and 58, at a car service centre in Bandar Mahkota Cheras. Authorities seized several stolen items, including plastic packaging, oil palm fertiliser, kitchen supplies, gas cylinders, and industrial equipment.
Investigations also uncovered a warehouse in Kajang used by the syndicate to store goods obtained through fraudulent transactions. This discovery allowed police to solve six fraud cases in Selangor involving losses amounting to USD 39,000 and two additional cases in Perak with losses totaling USD 13,000. Further investigations led to the arrest of two more persons. Criminal background checks saw that three suspects had prior records for cheating under Section 420 of the Penal Code, while another had cases under the Film Censorship Act and Dangerous Drugs Act. Two suspects also tested positive for methamphetamine during screening. All five individuals have been remanded for seven days, until October 8, to assist in the ongoing investigation under Section 420 of the Penal Code.
Authorities revealed that the syndicate operated by placing fake purchase orders through phone calls and submitting forged payment receipts as proof of completed transactions. They then used transport companies to collect the goods, diverting the deliveries to other locations before reselling the stolen items at prices up to 50% lower than their market value. Selangor police chief urged business suppliers to verify payments before releasing goods, emphasizing the importance of this precaution in preventing further supply chain fraud.
