KUALA LUMPUR: Seven individuals have been detained in connection with the sale of fake health products by using photos and videos of a renowned eye expert with the title “Datuk”.
Bukit Aman Commercial Crime Investigation Department (CCID) director Comm Datuk Seri Ramli Mohamed Yoosuf said three local men and a woman were arrested in Shah Alam on May 21 and 22.
“Two of those detained were company directors, while two others were a marketing officer and a businessman.
“We believe they were responsible for selling the fake health products,” he said at a press conference at the CCID headquarters here yesterday.
Further investigations led to the arrest of a local man, a Bangladeshi man and a Vietnamese woman in Klang on May 24, he said.
“We seized several items during the raids, including 24 boxes of eye products, a box of spectacles, a laptop, a printer and four mobile phones,” he said.
The syndicate is believed to have used photos and videos of the eye expert to promote fake eye products.
“The eye expert realised something amiss when several individuals called her to verify the authenticity of the products being advertised.
“The syndicate had used the photos and videos of the eye expert without her consent in a bid to fool the public,” he said.
The four suspects who were arrested in Shah Alam have been released on police bail, while the remaining three have been remanded.
In another case, a raid on an online gambling call centre that also engaged in love scams resulted in the detention of a total of 12 people, including a woman.
Comm Ramli said those detained, aged between 18 and 43, were operating from a residential unit in the city during the May 16 raid.
“We seized several items, including nine laptops, 33 mobile phones, five rings, six sling bags, foreign currencies in various denominations, and a necklace,” he said.
“The syndicate created fake social media accounts before befriending victims in the United States.
“The suspects would then lure the victims to gamble online via a web link,” he said.
Comm Ramli said those who gambled by clicking on the link would lose all their betting money.
“All those detained were the centre’s call agents, who were paid RM2,500 monthly and 4% commission from the total losses suffered by a victim.
“We are investigating further under Section 420 and Section 511 of the Penal Code,” he said.
