Nearly 68% of foreign nationals arrested for commercial crimes in Malaysia from January to May 2026 were Chinese citizens

Malaysian police arrested 1,462 foreign nationals for commercial crimes between January and May 2026, with Chinese citizens accounting for 993 arrests, or nearly 68% of the total.

Police also arrested 31 people during five raids targeting an alleged online scam call centre syndicate in Pahang between 6 and 14 October.

According to Malaysian media The Star, Bukit Aman Commercial Crime Investigation Department (CCID) director Comm Datuk Rusdi Mohd Isa said on 20 October that foreign nationals' involvement in commercial crimes, including online fraud, had increased in recent years.

He cautioned, however, that the arrest figures alone did not establish that Malaysia had become a new operating base for international scam syndicates.

Arrests of foreign nationals rise

Comm Rusdi said arrests of foreign nationals for commercial crimes increased by 65.3%, from 1,006 in 2024 to 1,663 in 2025.

Between January and May 2026, police recorded another 1,462 arrests, indicating that foreign nationals' involvement in commercial crime remained at a concerning level.

“Arrest statistics do not necessarily indicate the involvement of all nationals of a particular country in criminal activities,” he said.

He added that arrests were based on intelligence, investigations and operations targeting individuals suspected of specific offences.

Police said 955 of the foreign nationals arrested by May had entered Malaysia using social visit passes, while seven had used tourist passes.

Chinese nationals accounted for the largest number of arrests, at 993.

They were followed by Indonesians, with 85; Vietnamese, with 49; Myanmar nationals, with 42; and Bangladeshis, with 39.

Taiwanese nationals accounted for 37 arrests, followed by Japanese nationals with 35, Pakistanis with 26 and Indians with 25.

Cases involving foreign nationals are investigated under different legal provisions, depending on the circumstances.

Comm Rusdi cited Section 420 and Section 417 of the Penal Code, Section 4(1) of the Computer Crimes Act 1997 and Section 424 of the Penal Code, alongside other provisions relating to commercial crime and online fraud.

Pahang raids target alleged scam call centre

Separately, Pahang police arrested 31 people during five raids in Kuantan, Genting Highlands and Bentong between 6 and 14 October.

Acting Pahang police chief Datuk Azry Akmar Ayob said the arrests comprised four Malaysian citizens and 27 foreign nationals.

The foreign nationals included 25 Chinese citizens, one Indian citizen and one Myanmar citizen.

Initial investigations indicated that the alleged operation was organised, with tasks assigned to different individuals.

Police said the syndicate allegedly used fake social media accounts, messaging applications and internet networks to deceive victims and conceal the identities of those involved.

Its alleged methods included online investment scams, romance scams and fake part-time job offers.

The operation reportedly targeted victims in China, Europe and the United States.

Regional crackdowns and alleged relocation

The arrests come amid concerns that organised scam networks are changing locations as authorities intensify enforcement across Southeast Asia.

Crackdowns along the Thai-Myanmar border and in Cambodia and Laos have disrupted numerous large-scale scam compounds linked to online fraud.

In June, a Malaysian anti-trafficking non-governmental organisation alleged that criminal groups displaced from Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar could be moving their operations into Malaysia.

The allegation prompted police to call for intelligence and evidence while increasing scrutiny of possible cross-border movements by organised criminal networks.

Authorities have also uncovered alleged scam centres targeting victims in China, Singapore, Indonesia, Italy and Spain in recent months.

Investigations have identified operations involving cryptocurrency investment fraud, romance scams, fake employment offers and other forms of online deception.

Police said they would continue strengthening enforcement, intelligence gathering and cooperation between agencies to prevent Malaysia from becoming an operating base or transit point for international fraud syndicates.

“We will continue to work with foreign embassies, the Immigration Department and relevant agencies to ensure Malaysia is not turned into an operational hub for international fraud syndicates,” Comm Rusdi said.

Malaysia records RM2.77 billion in scam losses in 2025

According to a written parliamentary reply from Malaysia’s Home Ministry dated 21 January 2026, the country recorded RM2.77 billion (approximately US$684.6 million) in financial scam losses in 2025 alone.

The figure was the highest annual total recorded over the previous three years. Cumulative losses from online and financial fraud between 2023 and 2025 reached RM5.62 billion, underscoring the scale of the threat.

The ministry said scam-related losses stood at RM1.28 billion in 2023 before rising to RM1.57 billion in 2024, followed by a sharp increase in 2025.

Scams involving fraudulent phone calls, romance schemes, e-commerce fraud, fake financing offers and non-existent investment opportunities continued to account for a large share of reported cases.

Authorities said such scams remain widespread because criminal syndicates are highly adaptable and increasingly rely on digital platforms that allow them to reach potential victims rapidly across borders.