POLICE BUST TWO BLACK MONEY SYNDICATES

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 24 (Bernama) -- The police busted two 'black money'
syndicates masterminded by African nationals, with the arrest of six suspects,
including four African students, here recently.

Kuala Lumpur police chief Mohammad Sabtu Osman said the first case involved
two African students whose modus operandi was to pose as trust holders and trick
victims into thinking they had inherited US$12,520,050.

He said, following a tip-off, the police detained the duo during a raid at a
hotel on Feb 13.

Earlier, the suspects had conned a 58-year-old Australian woman into parting
with US$26,500, in exchange for her 'inheritance' which they claimed to be
holding in trust for her recently-deceased uncle.

The police chief said they handed the woman a bag containing the
'inheritance' which was nothing more than counterfeit currency with a face
value of US$12,520,050.

The police also found two fake British High Commission identification cards
in the bag.

Meanwhile, four people, including two Cameroonian nationals were detained by
police at another hotel in connection with another 'black money' syndicate.

The rest were locals aged 30, and 60.

Mohammad Sabtu said that from the suspects, the police seized a bag
containing counterfeit currency.

"We conducted the raid after receiving information from a Bruneian victim
who was cheated into paying US$50,000 to the suspects, with the hope that it
would 'multiply' to RM300,000 as promised by the suspects," he said.

Last year, a total of 38 cases involving fake money syndicates were
reported, while 11 have been reported since January, this year. (US$1=RM3.67)
-- BERNAMA