GEORGE TOWN: Police have detained 13 people over a loan scam out of a luxury condominium.

       State police chief Comm Datuk Mohd Shuhaily Mohd Zain said they busted the syndicate at a luxury condominium in Bukit Mertajam.

       “A team from the Penang Criminal Investigation Department (CID) carried out the raid at about 12.45pm on June 15, following reports of mischief and criminal threats involving syndicate members.

       “The team initially raided the condominium after receiving information of ‘ah long’ (illegal money lender) activities, mischief, paint spraying and criminal threats carried out by the suspects living in the unit.

       “During the raid, they found nine men and four women aged between 19 and 30.

       “Investigations found that the syndicate turned the condominium unit into a non-existent money lending operation by charging processing fees to victims who wanted to borrow money,” Comm Mohd Shuhaily told a press conference at the state police headquarters in Penang Road here yesterday.

       He said there have been 132 investigation papers involving non-existent loans with losses totalling RM1.914mil nationwide.

       “We seized goods that included 27 handphones and 10 notebooks with phone numbers and the victims’ bank account numbers as well as the script used to deceive victims. Three laptops and a car were confiscated as well,” he said referring to the raid on the condominium.

       Comm Mohd Shuhaily added that the modus operandi of the syndicate was to advertise loans through social media such as Facebook and also WhatsApp, and then communicate with the victims before deceiving them by asking for a certain amount as processing fees.

       “However, there were cases where the amount of money to be borrowed by the victims was not disbursed while those who got loans would be threatened (over repayment),” he said.