THE Penang Commercial Crime Investigation Department (CCID) opened 941 investigation papers into various commercial crime offences, involving losses of RM50 million, from January 1 until yesterday, with a total of 398 people arrested.

Penang deputy police chief Fisol Salleh said out of that number, there were 110 cases of criminal breach of trust and forgery, which recorded a total loss of RM26 million.

“There were 831 cases of online fraud involving a total loss of RM24 million, phone scams being the highest recorded, with 183 cases and a loss of RM12 million, followed by 83 cases of investment fraud involving a loss of RM5 million, while other online fraud cases saw a loss of RM7 million.

“Penang CCID’s biggest success was through operations under ‘Ops Pelican’, which was the arrest of three men carrying out online fraud when we raided a call centre last month,” he said after attending the 216th Police Day celebration, at Seberang Perai Tengah (SPT) district police headquarters in Bukit Mertajam.

Earlier in the ceremony, three members of the public were presented with letters of appreciation by the Penang police chief, for assisting the police in solving several criminal cases including cable theft.

Fisol added that the Penang Narcotics Criminal Investigation Department (NCID) arrested 2,878 people, including 60 minors, aged 18 and below, from January 1 to February 28 in drug-related cases, with a drug haul of RM2.98 million and property seizure of RM2.98 million, through 40 investigation papers.

“Of the 60 minors arrested, 10 are girls. Nine of those arrested are students, with three expelled and six school dropouts,” he said, adding that Penang NCID also busted seven drug trafficking syndicates, of heroin, ketamine, ganja and syabu, under ‘Op Mutiara’. – Bernama, March 20, 2023.