KUALA LUMPUR, June 19 — Police detained three individuals including a woman for allegedly being "mule account” holders in an operation in Petaling Jaya here today.

Petaling Jaya district police chief ACP Nik Ezanee Mohd Faisal said all the suspects, aged between 24 and 37 were nabbed in the operation code-named "Op Mule Account” at 8.30am.

"Initial investigations found that the suspects had borrowed money from loan sharks, lost their ATM cards and have been paid to open accounts under their names.

"The suspects claimed they did not realise that their accounts were used by syndicates for fraudulent activities,” he said in a statement here today.

 Nik Ezanee said the suspects were later charged in the Petaling Jaya Magistrate’s Court today under Section 420 of the Penal Code.

In another development, he said 12 Chinese nationals including six women were detained today for allegedly conducting illegal online investment activities.

Nik Ezanee said the suspects, aged between 26 and 53 were detained in the 3pm raid on a two-storey house in Mutiara Damansara, Petaling Jaya.

Further check found a room on the second floor of the house which had been turned into a studio that was used to shoot videos to promote their fraudulent scheme, he said.

Nik Ezanee said police also seized various items including six laptops and an Internet modem adding that the case was being investigated under Section 420 of the Penal Code. — Bernama