Bukit Aman busts violent kidnapping syndicate preying on foreigners, discovers unknown victim after shootout

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 10 — The Criminal Investigation Department of Bukit Aman has successfully dismantled a violent kidnapping syndicate targeting foreigners, according to a press conference held at the Federal Police Headquarters. The operation, conducted jointly with the Singapore Police Force, led to a shootout resulting in the rescue of two victims — a Singaporean national and a Chinese national woman.

Commissioner M. Kumar, CID Director, revealed that six individuals in their 30s, including five men and one woman, were arrested. Among the detained was a Malaysian local, while the remaining five suspects were Chinese nationals. The modus operandi of the syndicate, as identified by Commissioner Kumar, involved targeting victims through the messaging app WeChat, where they offered high-paying jobs or social escorts.

Once a response was received, a meeting with the target was arranged, followed by their abduction. During the raid, two handguns and a machete were seized. Interestingly, the police found an additional victim, a Chinese national, in a separate room, which was not initially anticipated. The woman's kidnapping went unreported. The syndicate reportedly received SGD 15,000 (RM49,600) for the Singaporean victim through three payments and demanded US$ 20,000 (RM89,000) for the Chinese woman, though no ransom was paid.

Drug screenings indicated that the local suspect tested negative, while four of the male Chinese suspects tested positive. All six suspects have been held since August 7 and are expected to be released on August 14 to aid ongoing investigations. The syndicate is believed to be connected to at least two other kidnapping cases in Kuala Lumpur.

The incident was uncovered when a freed victim reported the crime to the police. Authorities have cautioned the public to be vigilant on social media, advising against accepting job or meeting offers from strangers or agreeing to meet individuals encountered online.