SEREMBAN: An operations director of a transport company with a fleet of 160 trucks has been arrested by police for allegedly using hacked Touch n Go cards.
Negri Sembilan police chief Dep Comm Datuk Alzafny Ahmad said the suspect’s wife, who is a foreigner, was also detained in an operation.
“We seized 304 Touch n Go cards and RM400,000 from the couple during a raid at their office on Sept 10.
“Based on a preliminary probe, the couple bought the cards from a suspect for between RM150 and RM200 each but the cash value in each card was RM300,” he told reporters at the district police headquarters.
Dep Comm Alzafny said investigations have revealed that the main suspect, who was still at large, had used special software to hack the cards.
“The suspect had used hardware and software which can be purchased online to hack the cards and increase the value in each one.
“A special hi-tech smart gadget was also used in the process,” he said, adding that the cards were then given to the company’s drivers.
Dep Comm Alzafny said police investigations have revealed that the suspects have been involved in the illegal activity since Aug last year.
He said the matter came to light when the card company could not balance its books.
For the months of July and August alone, he said the card company lost almost RM60,000 due to their cards being compromised.
He said police were also probing if there were other companies involved in using compromised Touch n Go cards in the state.
The case, he said, is being investigated under Section 420 of the Penal Code for cheating.
The couple has been remanded till Sept 13 to assist in investigations.
In a separate case, Dep Comm Alzafny said his team, in cooperation with several other government agencies, seized almost 400 bags of aluminium dross from a premises in Senawang Industrial Area.
Aluminium dross falls under the scheduled waste category and is a byproduct from melting aluminium.
It consists of aluminium oxide, entrained metallic aluminium and other impurities like salts.
He said police also seized the waste valued at RM630,000 and a lorry worth some RM80,000 in the raid.
A local man believed to be the owner and 23 foreigners were also detained.
The case, he said, is being probed under Section 38 of the Environmental Quality Act 1974.
This carries a jail term of up to five years and a fine of RM100,000 or both upon conviction.
“The Immigration Department is also probing the owner as the 23 foreigners did not have any valid permits,” he said.
Dep Comm Alzafny said the Seremban City Council will also take action against the owner for not having a valid permit to store the e-waste in the facility.
The facility was only licensed to operate as a recycling business.
“The owner is also being investigated by the authorities for not providing proper accommodation for the foreign workers,” he said.
He said Customs would also act against the owner as it found cigarettes and alcoholic beverages inside the premises on which the relevant taxes had not been paid.
