Five Ah Long members nabbed in Johor

ISKANDAR PUTERI: Five men believed to be members of an Ah Long (loan shark) syndicate who made threats against victims who failed to pay up loans, were arrested in a series of raids here yesterday.

Johor Police Chief Datuk Kamarul Zaman Mamat said all the local men, aged between 23 and 41, were arrested following intelligence gathering and information from the public, from 9.30 am to 3 pm.

He said the investigations found that the group had been active for the past three years and with the arrests, the police managed to solve 18 cases of paint splashing and criminal threats in the city and Kluang district as well as one case in Bercham, Perak.

"Their modus operandi is to advertise loan offers through social media site Facebook, and the loan rate is from RM500 to RM30,000 with an interest rate of five to 20 per cent.

"The borrowers need to make weekly payments and if they fail, the syndicate will make criminal threats for the purpose of intimidation, then harass the borrower's family by charging a higher interest rate," he said in a statement today.

Twelve mobile phones of various types with SIM cards, six ATM cards, a cheque, 46 transaction receipts, a notebook containing a list of borrowers, a computer and four cars were also seized, said Kamarul Zaman.

"All the suspects will be brought to court for the purpose of applying for remand under Section 117 of the Criminal Procedure Code to assist the investigation.

"The case is being investigated under Section 5 (2) of the Money Lenders Act 1951 and Section 506 of the Penal Code," he said.

He stressed that the Johor police will not compromise with unlicensed moneylending syndicates that try to disrupt public order and will use all the laws available to go after them.

-- BERNAMA