Sarawak Police Bust Seven Scam Call Centres in Ops Magpie, 42 Arrested

Sarawak police have shut down seven online scam call centres and arrested 42 people in Ops Magpie 01/2026, raiding premises in Bintulu, Kuching, Padawan, Miri and Sibu. Every victim was abroad: the syndicates went after people in Japan, China, Indonesia and Austria. State police commissioner Datuk Saifullizan Ishak gave the results at a press conference in Kuching on 12 November.

Who was arrested

Dayak Daily reports that the raids took place from 19 to 31 October. Of the 42 held, 14 are Malaysians and 28 foreigners: 18 Chinese nationals, eight Indonesians, one Taiwanese and one Myanmar national. Bernama says most of the foreigners are believed to have entered on social visit passes. The centres ran from two bungalows, three terrace houses and two apartments, for anything from 10 days to 11 months. The Star says the raids were part of a simultaneous operation across Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah and Sarawak with Bukit Aman's commercial crime unit, and that a public tip-off started it.

What the centres ran

The main business was investment and cryptocurrency fraud, online gambling and handling the money those scams brought in, with job offer, phone and love scams on the side.

Police seized property worth about RM229,500, among it 33 laptops and a Starlink kit. No report gives a figure for what the victims lost.

Charges so far

The case is being investigated under Sections 420 and 120B of the Penal Code, for cheating and criminal conspiracy. So far 33 suspects have been charged and three made prosecution witnesses.

Seventeen pleaded guilty and were fined between RM500 and RM4,000 each.

What police asked of the public

The commissioner asked residents to report places where unusually large numbers of foreigners gather, naming abandoned factories, new housing estates, sparsely occupied apartments and resorts. Tips go to Sarawak's commercial crime investigation department on 011-62890089.