Malaysia Arrests 2,251 Online Scam Suspects, Including Indonesians
Malaysian police have arrested at least 2,251 suspects believed to be involved in online scam operations. Among the arrested suspects are hundreds of foreign nationals (WNA), including Indonesian citizens (WNI).
As reported by Bernama news agency and NHK World Japan on Friday (8/5/2026), Malaysian police raided bases of online scam syndicates in various regions of the country from January to April, detaining a total of 2,251 individuals suspected of being linked to these fraudulent activities.
The raid operations were divided into four special operations, one of which was Operation Taring, focusing on the activities of online scam syndicate call centres, leading to the arrest of hundreds of foreign nationals, including several Indonesians.
The Director of the Commercial Crime Investigation Department of the Malaysian Police, Datuk Rusdi Mohd Isa, stated that a total of at least 430 individuals were arrested during Operation Taring, which took place from 26 January to 5 February. Those arrested ranged in age from 17 to 66 years.
“From that total, the highest number of arrests involved foreign nationals, reaching 270 people, including from China, Indonesia, and Taiwan, while the other 160 were local residents acting as operators and communication providers,” Rusdi said during a press conference on Tuesday (5/5).
The exact number of Indonesians arrested in the Malaysian police operation was not specified in detail.
Furthermore, Malaysian police stated that the online scam syndicates operated in ordinary residential areas, commercial buildings, and other structures renovated to disguise their true nature as online scam centres.
“These syndicates use various tactics, including impersonating law enforcement officers and financial institutions, employing structured modus operandi to deceive victims,” Rusdi added.
Rusdi further noted that during Operation Taring, the police seized various communication equipment valued at approximately RM307,860, equivalent to Rp1.3 billion.