KUALA LUMPUR: The case of the 12 policemen who were arrested for allegedly robbing a group of Chinese nationals has raised broader concerns about abuse of authority and institutional oversight, a senior criminologist said.

Datuk Dr P. Sundramoorthy described the case as reflecting elements of occupational crime and state-corporate deviance, where individuals entrusted with regulatory power exploit institutional legitimacy for personal gain.

The incident, now under police investigation, involved eight Chinese nationals who were reportedly in Malaysia at the invitation of a local company for business discussions when the premises they occupied were raided on suspicion of running a scam operation.

The arrests of the 12 policemen followed a report lodged by a 31-year-old Chinese market surveyor who claimed he and seven friends were forced to transfer 50,000 units of the tether cryptocurrency (about RM200,000) to secure their release after their rented bungalow in a gated community in Country Heights, Kajang, was raided.

Those detained were an assistant superintendent of police, an inspector, a sergeant, six corporals, two lance corporals and one constable. They were between the ages of 24 and 47.

The officers told the group they were acting under an anti-scam operation, codenamed “Op Taring”, and suspected the occupants of being involved in online fraud activities linked to Cambodia.

However, after inspecting their electronic devices and passports, no evidence of criminal activity was found. There was also no record of the complainant and his friends travelling to Cambodia.

The victims, however, were allegedly threatened with arrest and immigration action unless they paid the raiding party RM400,000. That sum was later reduced to RM200,000.

Sundramoorthy said the circumstances illustrated how discretionary policing powers could create criminogenic “opportunity structures” within enforcement environments.

“Enforcement agencies possess extraordinary legal authority, including powers of detention, search and immigration referral.

“When oversight mechanisms are weak or procedural safeguards are insufficient, these powers can be misused for coercive purposes such as extortion,” he told the New Straits Times.

He said the alleged use of threats involving arrest and deportation appeared consistent with coercion-based occupational crime, where institutional authority becomes an instrument of personal enrichment.

He added that the transnational nature of the case compounded victims’ vulnerability, particularly when foreign nationals lack familiarity with local legal processes or fear immigration repercussions.

“Routine activity theory explains that crime emerges when motivated offenders encounter suitable targets without effective guardianship. In this situation, the victims’ outsider status may have reduced their ability to challenge authority or immediately access protection,” he said.

Sundramoorthy also highlighted the significance of cryptocurrency as the alleged medium of extortion, describing it as indicative of evolving corruption modalities. Digital assets offer anonymity, rapid transferability and jurisdictional complexity, making them attractive tools for illicit transactions.

“We are witnessing a convergence between traditional corruption practices and technologically facilitated financial crimes.”

Beyond the immediate criminal allegations, Sundramoorthy warned that such cases could have wider implications for institutional legitimacy and public confidence in enforcement bodies.

“Procedural justice and perceived legitimacy are central to public trust.

“When state actors are implicated in predatory conduct, particularly against individuals initially suspected of wrongdoing, it risks reinforcing perceptions of selective enforcement or abuse of power.”

He stressed that strengthening internal accountability systems, ensuring transparent raid procedures and developing clearer regulatory frameworks for cryptocurrency-related investigations were essential preventive measures.

This article first appeared on NST.