Immigration deputy director-general (operations) Jafri Embok Taha said the premises were rented by a foreign-operated scam syndicate that used social media to deceive victims with fraudulent offers on stocks, goods, real estate and investments.

“They used social media platforms such as Facebook, TikTok, WeChat, WhatsApp, Telegram and others to target potential victims,” he said during a press conference at the immigration department’s headquarters in Putrajaya.

Jafri said the premises also functioned as call centres from which scammers contacted customers to offer fraudulent deals.

“The syndicate lured victims into transferring money through links controlled by their administrators, often using local mule accounts, leaving victims stranded when contact was lost,” he said.

During the raids, the immigration department arrested and detained 46 foreign nationals.

Jafri said the foreign nationals comprised 14 Chinese men, 15 Indonesian men, four Indonesian women, a Myanmar man, two Myanmar women, two Bangladeshi men, two Laotian women and six Thai women.

He said the syndicate generated daily profits ranging from RM100,000 to RM150,000, with its foreign syndicate members receiving a monthly salary of RM2,500 to RM3,500.

The immigration department also seized 88 smartphones, 26 SIM cards and RM100,000 in cash.

Jafri said the scams not only targeted local victims but also foreigners, particularly from the scammers’ home countries.

All 46 foreign nationals were detained under Section 51(5)(b) of the Immigration Act 1959/63 for various offences, including entering Malaysia without a valid pass, overstaying and violating social visit pass conditions.