Malaysia Pulse delivers breaking news, politics, business, sports and lifestyle coverage from Malaysia and Southeast Asia — trusted, timely and independent.
A Malaysian national has been apprehended at Chennai International Airport in India for attempting to smuggle more than four kilogrammes of hydroponic cannabis, marking another significant cross-border drug arrest in the region.
Taiwanese authorities detained three Malaysian nationals in Kaohsiung last month on suspicion of operating as money mules for a transnational fraud network, highlighting Southeast Asia's vulnerability to organised crime.
Malaysia's Border Control and Protection Agency has not yet determined whether counter-setting was involved in the drug smuggling case of a Malaysia Airlines pilot detained in Indonesia.
Indonesia and Thailand have committed to advancing ASEAN's peace efforts in Myanmar and strengthening bilateral defence cooperation to tackle transnational crimes, including online scams and human trafficking.
Ho Chi Minh City police have dismantled a major drug trafficking network that infused the anaesthetic Etomidate into e-cigarettes, arresting 65 suspects including Malaysian and Singaporean nationals. Nearly 2,000 cartridges were seized.
Penang police arrested eight foreign nationals operating an online travel scam from a luxury condominium in Tanjung Bungah, allegedly defrauding victims in China and Taiwan with fake Japanese travel packages.
A group of 159 Chinese nationals have been brought before three magistrate's courts in Johor Baru, facing criminal conspiracy charges related to an alleged cryptocurrency investment scheme. The alleged scam took place approximately two weeks prior to their court appearance.
Thai police rescued three Indian tourists from a Pattaya townhouse after they were allegedly abducted and held for ransom by a transnational criminal gang. The men were discovered bound and gagged; one suspect fled.
Police have arrested a foreign national accused of involvement in an extortion case linked to 12 Kuala Lumpur officers. Two female accomplices from Thailand and China were also detained in connection with passport-related offences.
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet has committed to intensifying efforts against online scam networks that exploit the region, while cautioning that criminal syndicates are becoming increasingly fragmented and harder to combat.
Malaysian authorities have dismantled an international love scam operation that victimised Japanese residents through deceptive online relationships. The operation, based in Alor Star, involved seven Chinese nationals arrested during a targeted raid.
Cambodia's Banteay Meanchey province has dismantled more than 200 online scam operations over seven months, deporting tens of thousands of foreign nationals. However, Governor Oum Reatrey acknowledged that Poipet town has not been completely cleared of scam activities.
Vietnamese authorities arrested 49 people, including four foreigners, for trafficking etomidate-laced electronic cigarettes in Ho Chi Minh City. Police seized 1,670 vape pods and significant quantities of ketamine and methamphetamine.
FBI Director Kash Patel has pledged enhanced collaboration with Cambodia to combat cyber scam networks, as the UN warns that online fraud losses across Southeast Asia could reach $114 billion annually in 2025.
Indonesian authorities arrested a 34-year-old Singaporean man in Jakarta on July 17 after raiding a house used to manufacture etomidate vapes. Police seized thousands of cartridges and laboratory equipment in the operation.
Bangkok police have dismantled a Vietnamese-led drug trafficking network that used Thailand as a transit hub to smuggle over 2kg of crystal methamphetamine to Japan hidden inside tamarind paste jars.
Malaysian authorities have dismantled a sophisticated investment fraud operation in Melaka, arresting 21 Chinese nationals suspected of running a non-existent investment scheme. The operation highlights growing concerns over transnational financial crime in the region.
Indonesian authorities have deported 92 Chinese nationals and banned them from re-entry after arrests connected to an alleged online scam network operating from Batam. The move reflects growing concerns about Southeast Asia becoming a hub for transnational cyber crime.
The European Commission and EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas have unveiled a fresh sanctions framework designed to combat migrant traffickers and organised criminal syndicates operating across borders.
A Chinese national arriving in Singapore for the first time systematically targeted affluent neighbourhoods, burglarising homes and stealing S$105,000 in jewellery and luxury items within days of arrival.
Indonesian authorities arrested seven Chinese and Vietnamese nationals plus 31 locals in North Sumatra for running an international online dating scam network. The syndicate used fake social media profiles to target Japanese men.