Betting syndicate in gated community
14/05/2007 NST

KUALA LUMPUR: Illegal gaming syndicates are well-known for coming up with novel ideas to escape the attention of the authorities.

In the past, they even hid their operations in the midst of such luxurious settings as upscale condominiums.

One syndicate busted yesterday took things a step further. Members operated a 4D counting centre handling upwards of RM10 million in bets a month in the corner lot of a row of terrace houses in an exclusive gated community.

The house in Taman Tasik Indah, off Jalan Ipoh, was raided by city police anti-vice, gaming and secret society division officers led by Supt Zaki Masroh, at 6.30pm yesterday.

City CID chief SAC II Ahmad Ibrahim said the team detained six women, aged between 20 and 40, in the raid.
"We found the women operating several laptop computers and fax machines to receive bets. The items were all seized," he said.

Ahmad said the syndicate moved its counting centre every month to escape the authorities and had rented the house three weeks ago.