14 DAY TRIAL // Eleven Sri Lankans, one Indian, four Malaysians, and nine Canadians have been arrested by Malaysian police. Authorities believe the individuals are involved in an international credit card fraud scheme.
The arrests are part of a joint effort between Canadian police, the Interpol and Malaysian authorities, Bernama reports.
Police have raided several locations from which they have seized 533 credit cards, laptop computers, ATM skimmers, jewelry and cash.
The criminal ring was apparently coordinated by a Canadian citizen whose country of origin was Sri Lanka. He sent cloned payment cards from Canada to Malaysia.
In Malaysia, the cards were distributed by his accomplices to money mules who were tasked with withdrawing money from the ATMs of foreign banks. These money mules would keep 10% of the money and handed over the rest to their supervisor.
In order to avoid raising suspicion, the individuals in charge of withdrawing the money were changed often.
Police are still looking for the group’s leader who is believed to be in Malaysia.