Melaka:Police successfully dismantled a call center syndicate allegedly involved in phone scams targeting Japanese nationals, with the arrest of 17 foreign nationals during a raid on a villa in Alai, as announced by Melaka Tengah district police chief ACP Halim Abas.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, the raid, which took place around 2.30 pm last Sunday, was executed by the Melaka Tengah district Commercial Crime Investigation Division (CCID) based on gathered information and intelligence.

The individuals arrested range in age from 23 to 55 and include three women. Among those apprehended were 11 Japanese nationals, four Chinese nationals, and two Myanmar nationals. Authorities also confiscated various items linked to the operation, with the total value of the seizure estimated at RM25,000.

Preliminary investigations revealed that the villa had been rented for approximately six months and was used as the syndicate's operational base for conducting phone scams. The syndicate is believed to have commenced operations in Melaka in early August, with the suspects acting as customer service officers to identify and contact Japanese victims.

During the raid, police discovered 28 sheets of printed documents, suspected to contain Japanese scripts, which are now subject to further examination as part of the ongoing investigation. Analysis of the seized items is underway to fully understand the syndicate's modus operandi, the roles of each suspect, the mastermind behind the syndicate, the identities of the victims, and the financial flow of the operation.

Authorities have not ruled out the involvement of additional individuals or networks connected to the syndicate. Of the 17 foreign nationals arrested, only five possessed passports, prompting further checks on the status of their travel documents, visit passes, and work permits.

All suspects are remanded for 14 days from October 5 to 18 to assist with investigations under Section 420 of the Penal Code for cheating.