Malaysian police raided 32 premises in Forest City, Johor, on July 15, 2026, arresting between 330 and 355 suspects linked to two separate online scam syndicates. The targets included 27 apartments and five bungalows used as illegal call centres by the groups [1, 2, 3, 4].
Most of the arrested suspects were foreigners aged 20 to 58. The breakdown included over 300 Chinese nationals, about 19 Indonesians, 4 Myanmar nationals, and between 3 to 4 Malaysians [1, 5, 2, 3, 4]. Police noted several foreigners lacked valid travel documents [1, 2, 3, 4].
The two syndicates operated distinct scam types. One occupied apartment floors, conducting cryptocurrency investment scams and romance scams. The other operated from bungalows, impersonating law firms and promoting fake investments. Both targeted victims mainly in China, Indonesia, Japan, the US, and Europe via social media platforms such as Telegram, WhatsApp, and TikTok [1, 2, 3, 4, 6]. Johor police chief Datuk Ab Rahaman Arsad said, "The operation dismantled two separate syndicates involved in online scams, including fraudulent cryptocurrency investment schemes and love scams targeting victims overseas, particularly in China and Indonesia" [3].
Police seized roughly 1,900 electronic devices valued at about RM1 million, including 313 computers, 1,557 mobile phones, 17 laptops, and 10 modems. They also confiscated a Mazda CX-8 vehicle [1, 5, 2, 3, 4]. At least 194 arrested foreigners are expected to face formal charges in court [1, 5, 3, 4].
The police continue to track the main mastermind behind the syndicates, cooperating with Interpol for leads. Datuk Ab Rahaman Arsad stated, "We are in the process of tracking down [the mastermind], including working with Interpol" [1].
Forest City management expressed full support for law enforcement efforts. They said, "We welcome the swift and coordinated enforcement action carried out by the police, the Home Ministry, the Immigration Department and other related agencies. Forest City remains committed to managing the development responsibly and in full compliance with Malaysian laws" and welcomed plans for a permanent police station in the township, pledging to provide full cooperation to make it a reality [7, 8].
Authorities confirmed there is no connection between the scam syndicates and the Network School based in Forest City [1, 5, 4].
Police held a press conference on July 28 to detail the arrests, and Forest City issued a statement supporting the police plans on July 29 [2, 7, 8, 3, 4].
