In-depth reporting on Malaysia and the region.
Indonesia and Thailand have pledged continued support for ASEAN's Myanmar peace initiatives while expanding defence and security cooperation to combat transnational crimes including online scams and human trafficking.
Malaysia's Jakarta embassy is requesting consular access to a detained pilot implicated in a 25kg drug seizure. The case underscores ongoing transnational narcotics trafficking challenges affecting Southeast Asian aviation personnel.
Malaysian authorities have charged 159 Chinese nationals in connection with an extensive fraud operation involving the Forest City development scheme, alongside allegations of illegal border crossing.
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet has committed to strengthening efforts against transnational online scam operations, acknowledging that criminal networks are becoming increasingly decentralized and complex across the region.
Cambodia has dismantled more than 200 online scam operations across Banteay Meanchey province over seven months, detaining tens of thousands of foreigners. However, authorities admit Poipet town remains a persistent hub for fraud activities despite intensified enforcement efforts.
Indonesian authorities have arrested a 34-year-old Singaporean man following a raid on a Jakarta house used to manufacture etomidate vapes, with the operation traced back to a drug smuggling case originating from Malaysia.
Thai and Vietnamese authorities have dismantled a drug smuggling operation that exploited Thailand's transit routes to transport crystal methamphetamine hidden in tamarind jars to Japan. The network employed elaborate layering techniques to obscure the supply chain.
Ipoh police have arrested 12 Chinese nationals operating two online love scam call centres. The operation targeted victims in China, marking another significant bust in the region's ongoing battle against cybercrime.
Authorities in Perak have apprehended 18 Chinese nationals across simultaneous operations near Ipoh, breaking up what police believe is a sophisticated online fraud network targeting victims across multiple jurisdictions.
Southeast Asian nations intensify efforts to combat transnational crime and boost economic resilience, with Cambodia applauded for scam crackdowns, Indonesia blocking millions of gambling sites, and Thailand revamping visa policies amid regional development initiatives.
Thai police have launched an international manhunt for a woman known as 'RoseRose' who allegedly orchestrated a sophisticated heroin-smuggling operation across Southeast Asia, after she fled the country through an unofficial border crossing.
The European Commission has unveiled a comprehensive sanctions regime targeting migrant smugglers and trafficking networks, aiming to disrupt criminal operations and protect vulnerable populations seeking migration.
Indonesian police have arrested seven foreign nationals and 31 locals in North Sumatra for running an international romance scam syndicate. The gang targeted Japanese men through fake profiles on social media platforms before extracting money.
Singapore authorities have charged four nationals over a complex money-laundering operation that used gold-filled signal converters to defraud Chinese tax authorities of substantial VAT refunds.
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A former kindergarten teacher pleaded not guilty to money laundering charges involving RM133,550 allegedly connected to an unlawful child-relocation scheme targeting New Zealand. The case raises concerns about exploitation networks.
Thai narcotics authorities have disclosed that heroin seized from a Thai airline crew member arrested in Australia was hidden in just two of twelve bags using sophisticated fabric-embedding techniques, with approximately 900g recovered in initial testing.
A Thai woman has been sentenced to seven years and six months in prison after trafficking her 12-year-old daughter to Japan, where the child was forced to provide sexual services at a massage establishment in Tokyo.
Vietnamese authorities in Ninh Binh have dismantled a major transnational online fraud operation, arresting 12 suspects linked to scams totalling RM39.2 million. The network targeted 500 victims across Vietnam using impersonation and fake websites.
Thai authorities arrested a 31-year-old Myanmar national at the Mae Sai border checkpoint after discovering over 23 million baht concealed in dried fish and potato cartons. The seizure highlights ongoing currency smuggling concerns across Southeast Asia's porous borders.
Indonesia has formally charged 24 foreign nationals as criminal suspects in an illegal gold mining scheme centred on Maluku's Gunung Botak area, with authorities seeking to prosecute suspects for building unauthorised mining infrastructure.
A Malaysian man has been sentenced to 16 months in jail for his brief membership in a Cambodian scam syndicate that targeted Singaporeans. Despite being fired after three days for failing to cheat anyone, he was convicted of organised crime offences.