KUALA LUMPUR: Opening cash-based businesses such as gold shops remains the a favoured way to launder illicit gains, including bribes, to avoid detection.

Bribe-takers have also been found to engage in trade-based money laundering by manipulating invoices and shipments, as well as purchasing luxury assets such as vehicles, jewellery, branded goods, and real estate.

Other tactics include setting up shell companies or using family members as proxies to hide the true ownership of illicit funds.

Malaysia Crime Watch (MCW) president Jais Abd Karim said the organisation had identified a range of methods employed by corrupt individuals.

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He added that another tactic was to open casinos or online gambling platforms to convert bribe money into seemingly legitimate "winnings."

"Running cash-based businesses such as gold shops is a classic way to 'clean' dirty money, as gold can be easily transferred, stored, and revalued without leaving much trace.

"However, we have also detected other modern techniques currently being used, or potentially exploitable, by corrupt individuals. These include setting up businesses under shell companies or family proxies to conceal actual ownership.

"Cash-intensive outlets such as grocery stores, convenience shops, or restaurants are also used as fronts, while digital and crypto assets are laundered through mixers or DeFi platforms to break the money trail," he told Berita Harian.

Jais said money laundering today is far more layered, with perpetrators often combining several methods, all at once.

"For example, they may use family proxies, open a gold shop, and simultaneously transfer funds into crypto platforms," he said.

He called for stricter enforcement across high-risk sectors, including gold, casinos, e-wallets, and cryptocurrency platforms.

"There must be stronger cooperation between the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), Bank Negara Malaysia, the police, Customs, and other agencies to enable information sharing.

"In addition, close monitoring of beneficial ownership in every company and high-value transaction must be implemented," he said.

He stressed that MCW believes firm action, inter-agency monitoring, and public support are crucial to closing loopholes exploited by corrupt individuals.

On Saturday, a husband-and-wife couple with the Immigration Department were arrested on suspicion of amassing about RM900,000 in bribes over four years.

They allegedly used the proceeds to open a gold shop and buy a luxury car.

The MACC said itbelieved the couple had arranged the entry of foreigners without complete documentation during that time.