KUALA LUMPUR: Police have detained five foreigners suspected of being part of a ‘magic gang’ involved in stealing money from tourists using deceptive hand tricks in the city centre.
Dang Wangi district police chief ACP Sulizmie Affendy Sulaiman confirmed the arrests, stating that the suspects, all from Middle Eastern countries, were apprehended in separate raids on July 22 and 24.
“In the first raid, three men and a woman aged 20 to 50 were arrested near Jalan Sultan Ismail.
“Authorities seized foreign currencies from Europe, South Asia, the Middle East, Central Asia, and Southeast Asia worth over RM16,000,“ he said.
The second operation on Jalan Bukit Bintang led to the arrest of a foreign man in his 20s, with more than RM360 in cash confiscated.
Sulizmie Affendy explained the group’s method: “They would feign interest in seeing the victim’s currency, then use sleight of hand to steal some of the money while returning the rest unnoticed.”
The suspects from the first raid were initially remanded for four days under Section 117 of the Criminal Procedure Code, followed by a 14-day extension under the Immigration Act.
The second suspect faced similar remand procedures.
Investigations revealed the suspects had been in Malaysia since September 2024, entering via Bukit Kayu Hitam but later losing their passports.
The case is being probed under Section 379 of the Penal Code.
Sulizmie Affendy added that over 50 police reports had been filed regarding such scams since last year, with authorities committed to ensuring tourist safety in Kuala Lumpur. – Bernama
