OP NORTHERN STAR: FIVE MORE INDIVIDUALS ARRESTED, THREE DURIAN ORCHARDS SEIZED

KUALA LUMPUR, April 22 (Bernama) -- Police have arrested five more individuals, including two bearing the titles Tan Sri and Datuk Seri, believed to be proxies and business associates involved in a Ponzi-type investment scam linked to MBI International Group (MBI), during the Op Northern Star operation carried out from last Friday until yesterday.

Head of the Criminal Investigation Team on Money Laundering (AMLA) under the Inspector-General of Police’s Secretariat (USKPN), Datuk Muhammed Hasbullah Ali, said that besides arresting the five individuals aged between 32 and 67 in the Klang Valley and the northern region, police also seized three durian orchards spanning nearly 900 acres, valued at RM223,624,167.

He said the durian orchards are located in Raub, Pahang (850 acres), Jawi, Penang (13 acres), and Tasek, Kedah (34 acres).

“All those arrested have been remanded for between five and six days to assist investigations under Section 4(1) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001 (AMLATFPUAA 2001),” he said at a press conference here today.

Muhammed Hasbullah said police also seized 299 bank accounts valued at RM123,614,594.35, 12 luxury vehicles, a luxury watch, five mobile phones, and various important documents.

These also include three business entities, namely a palm oil processing factory in Kedah, a hotel, and a property development company in Penang. The total value of seizures from both operations stands at RM3,513,304,957.84, he said.

Muhammed Hasbullah added that investigations were ongoing, and more arrests and asset seizures were expected soon.

“Any individual or entity suspected of directly or indirectly being involved in acquiring, receiving, possessing, concealing, transferring, altering, disposing of, or moving into or out of the country proceeds derived from this illegal investment activity will be investigated.

“Anyone who has been deceived by this investment scheme is urged to come forward with information to assist the police,” he said.

Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Razarudin Husain was previously reported to have said that eight individuals were arrested and assets worth RM3.17 billion seized in connection with the fraudulent scheme.

Razarudin said the arrests were part of a cross-border operation launched following information obtained via an Interpol Red Notice.

-- BERNAMA