Penang: Police have arrested 31 individuals, including six Chinese nationals, over illegal betting linked to the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Penang since June 11. Penang police chief Datuk Dennis Lim Kwang Keng stated that the suspects were arrested in raids on 26 premises believed to have been used as operational centers for such activities.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, the police operations, named Op Soga XI, are being conducted statewide from June 11 to July 19 by the Bukit Aman Criminal Investigation Department in strategic collaboration with various agencies, including the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission. Lim emphasized the need to intensify efforts to curb illegal sports betting and online gambling, noting that illegal activities can now be conducted from anywhere, including apartments, houses, and shops, and even through mobile devices.
Lim urged the public to cooperate by providing information to help detect syndicates involved in illegal betting activities. The police are not only focused on arresting individuals acting as agents or runners but are also working towards dismantling the operation centers that serve as the backbone of illegal gambling activities. Public information is crucial for identifying the masterminds behind these activities and dismantling the entire illegal gambling syndicate network.
In conjunction with a press conference during Lim's visit to the Northeast District Police Headquarters, police disposed of various criminal and commercial case exhibits worth RM1.27 million. These included 1,722 cartons of smuggled cigarettes, 1,913 bottles of alcoholic beverages, 25 units of entertainment equipment, 726 gambling machines, and 173,000 VCDs and DVDs, following court disposal orders under Section 407(2) of the Criminal Procedure Code.
Lim reported that 218 investigation papers involved the disposal of criminal case exhibits, comprising 15 smuggling cases, nine entertainment cases, and 194 gambling cases, with an estimated total value of RM120,146.38. Additionally, the commercial exhibits involved pornographic VCDs and DVDs estimated to be worth RM1,156,032, involving 347 investigation papers from 2010 to 2017.