KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 30 ― A Chinese triad boss known as “Broken Tooth” from Macau who is being investigated by Australia and the US is suspected to be hiding in Malaysia and believed to be persisting in his underworld activities.
The Straits Times reported today that the 65-year-old gangster is also now on the Malaysian wanted list for gangsterism and fraud amounting to RM6 million, after he failed to transfer shares of public-listed Inix Technologies Holdings Berhad to a third party as agreed.
According to the Singapore daily, a police report was filed against Wan Kuok-koi here in September last year and he has been on the Malaysian wanted list since October 16.
“The police are also aware that there is an investigation launched by their Australian and US counterparts on Wan’s illicit business activities, but they have yet to detect any attempts by him to expand his criminal activities here,” an unnamed source told The Straits Times.
Wan was appointed non-executive chairman of Inix last August and resigned four months later on December 2, and replaced by former inspector-general of police Tan Sri Mohamad Fuzi Harun who also resigned from the post after just five day, the paper reported.
According to the news report, authorities here are also investigating share price manipulation relating to Inix, following unusual trading activity in the company’s stock around the time Wan was appointed to the board.
“He was appointed based on the recommendation of a shareholder who personally knew him.
“Although investigators believe that there was some element of manipulation, there has been no evidence linking the company to this illegal activity,” the source said.
Citing information from the Immigration Department, The Straits Times reported that Wan was recorded leaving Malaysia in December 2019.
Last month, Reuters cited the US Treasury saying Wan was expanding his criminal activities throughout South-east Asia on the back of China’s Belt and Road infrastructure initiative.
He was blacklisted by the US last month, allegedly over his leadership of the 14K triad involved in drug trafficking, illegal gambling, racketeering, human trafficking and other criminal activities.
Wan had previously served 14 years behind bars in Macau after being convicted of loan sharking, money laundering and heading a criminal group before being released in 2012.