589 football bookies detained

Police also seize RM420,000, laptops and mobile phones

KUALA LUMPUR: The Fifa World Cup in Russia only reaches its climax on Sunday, but it is the end of the road for 589 bookies who have been detained here for illegal betting.

Bukit Aman CID director Comm Datuk Seri Wan Ahmad Najmuddin Mohd (pic) said some RM420,000 in bets on World Cup matches were seized.

He said one of the highest bets accumulated by a syndicate was RM15mil, while another with about 6,800 customers earned up to RM10mil.

He said 499 raids were conducted nationwide since June 10, four days before the start of the World Cup.

“The event not only attracts football fans but avid gamblers as well who place bets conventionally or online.

“Such illegal activity represents a moral decay that will inevitably lure football players and referees as well,” he said in a statement yesterday.

Comm Wan Ahmad Najmuddin said one syndicate was busted on June 10 for promoting illegal gambling via social media.

Seven suspects, including two women, were nabbed and RM22,000 worth of bets were seized following raids in Kuala Lumpur and Johor.

“The syndicate masked itself by operating at luxury condominiums,” he said, adding that the syndicate was operating since May 6 and earned up to RM10mil in profits.

“The syndicate had 6,800 customers. Six computers, two laptops, a tablet and 24 mobile phones were seized,” he added.

The case has been classified under Section 4(1)(C) of the Betting Act 1953 for managing a gambling premise, Section 4(1)(D) for receiving bets and Section 6(3) for being a bookie.

He said those found guilty were liable to be fined between RM20,000 and RM200,000 and jailed not more than five years.

Comm Wan Ahmad Najmuddin warned that police would not compromise against those involved in illegal betting or gambling.

“Our monitoring and operations are ongoing. We appeal to the people to tip us off to such activities,” he added.