Taiwan police have detained the suspected mastermind of a international Internet fraud syndicate based in Penang which involved losses to the tune of RM10 billion.

It is learnt the Taiwanese, nicknamed ‘Huang’, was picked up at the Tai Joo Airport in Taiwan on Jan 22, upon his arrival from China.

Earlier, Taiwan police used 10 of its citizens who were nabbed in Malaysia in connection with the syndicate, to lure the man back to the country.

The mastermind’s arrest followed a raid at a centre in Penang on Jan 6, with the cooperation of the Malaysian and Taiwanese police.

Contacted by Bernama today, Bukit Aman Commercial Crime Investigation Department director Syed Ismail Syed Azizan confirmed the arrest.

He described it as a police success in combating fraud using the Internet and involving an international syndicate.

On June 6, last year, police rounded up 37 people in two simultaneous raids in Penang, believed to have involved a syndicate dubbed the ‘Macau Cheats’ and led by a Taiwanese.

The raids revealed that a centre was used to make calls as the police found several communication service equipments, including laptop, modem and mobile phones.

According to media reports, those detained in the two raids last year were five Malaysians, 22 China and 10 Taiwan nationals.

Initial investigations revealed they had impersonated police or bank officers to cheat victims.

The syndicate which operated since 2010, had deceived many China nationals by luring them to bank in the money through third party or else their money would be siphoned by unscrupulous people.

However, the syndicate had diverted the money to other accounts and the victims were eventually fleeced of their funds.

- Bernama