Four members of illegal money lending syndicate arrested

BUTTERWORTH: Police arrested four men, believed to be members of an illegal money lending or "Along" syndicate in a raid at a premises here two days ago.

Penang Commercial Criminal Investigation Department head ACP Mohd Rosni Mohd Lazim said the raid was conducted following a report lodged by one of the borrowers.

"The borrower had obtained loan of RM700 early this year and had settled the repayments, but the syndicate continued to harass him for payment and also threatened to kidnap his family members, if he refused to pay," he said in a statement today.

He said the syndicate operate by offering the loan through the Whatsapp application.

During the raid, he said, the police also seized 10 handphones, bank cards, sim cards, two cars, a bunch of keys, a note book and RM3,375.

He said the suspects, aged between 20 and 22, were paid between RM2,000 and RM3,500 a month by the syndicate to demand payment and threaten borrowers for payments.

The police are now tracking the mastermind and other members of the syndicate, he added.

-- BERNAMA