A 20-year-old man claimed he was going on a trip to Thailand with his former boss but has been missing for over a month. His 52-year-old father recently received a mysterious phone call from someone claiming the son was arrested in Hong Kong, leaving the family uncertain of his whereabouts. The father fears his son may have been ensnared by a transnational crime syndicate, exploited as a 'drug mule' or 'money mule.'
The father, surnamed Chen, who works as a Puspakom agent in Malaysia, shared his story at a press conference on Thursday, accompanied by Datuk Seri Michael Chong, Head of the MCA Public Services and Complaints Department, and legal advisor He Suying. Chen could not help but shed tears during the conference.
According to Chen, his younger son said he received an invitation from his former boss, along with colleagues, to travel to Thailand for a few days. Since the boy's mother is Thai and the family regularly travels to Thailand once or twice every year, they did not suspect anything unusual.
He said his son, who worked at a mobile phone store, left on the 14th of last month. The family kept in contact with him for the first few days, but then all communication ceased.
About two weeks ago, Chen received a call from an unfamiliar man speaking Cantonese, who claimed the son was involved in a case and had been arrested by police in Hong Kong. The caller gave no further details about the case or his own identity.
"The caller mentioned my son's name, but didn't provide any ID information, only that he was arrested in Hong Kong. Then he hung up. When I tried to call back, the number could not be reached."
Chen filed a police report seeking help on the 4th of this month.
Michael Chong noted that in many of his cases, parents initially thought their children were missing, only to later discover that they had been arrested overseas for crimes such as drugs or credit card fraud. Many young people fell victim to scam recruitment ads promising high salaries, unwittingly becoming 'drug mules' or 'money mules' for syndicates.
He said crime syndicates often lure victims with offers of high salaries, easy work, or free travel, then ask them to help carry documents or luggage overseas. In reality, drugs may be hidden in the luggage, and the victims are usually unaware—only to be detained by local authorities on arrival.
"Last year, I received 25 similar requests for help."
Chong reminded young people not to trust overseas high-paying job offers or free travel invitations, to avoid ruining their future.
He urged the public that in any case involving arrest abroad, people should verify with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or local embassies/consulates, and not transfer money based on a single phone call.
What to Do If Detained Overseas
He Suying advised that if nationals are truly detained by law enforcement overseas, they should stay calm and not resist arrest or sign documents they do not understand, in order to protect their rights.
She said if detained by police, you should request assistance from an interpreter and a lawyer, and exercise your right to remain silent until you understand the documents and have received legal advice, before deciding whether to give a statement or sign anything.
She pointed out that under international practice, a detainee has the right to request contact with the Malaysian embassy or Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and may seek legal assistance through official channels.
She also emphasized that genuine lawyers with a mandate will not proactively call family members to demand payment for legal fees or bail, nor solicit cases by phone.
"If someone claims to be a lawyer entrusted with the case and asks family to immediately transfer funds, the family should be alert, record the caller’s name, and check the identity with the Bar Association or Ministry of Foreign Affairs."