Interpol red notice issued to locate, detain Nicky Liow

Johor Police chief Datuk Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay said Interpol issued the Red Notice against Liow two days ago (April 20) while that against his assistant, who is known as Niu Zhe, 31, a Chinese national, was issued yesterday.

The notice was issued following a request by Malaysian police to locate and detain Liow. (An Interpol Red Notice is a request to law enforcement worldwide to locate and provisionally arrest a person pending extradition, surrender, or similar legal action.)

“They have both been served with the Red Notice,” he said in a brief media conference at the Johor Police Headquarters today.

He also confirmed that a police officer had been arrested in relation to the same gang, but he refused to comment further as the operations to track the individuals involved are ongoing.

“I do not want to make statements one by one. If there are any follow-up arrests, Johor police will hold a media conference. What is certain is that operations are ongoing and there will be follow-up arrests,” he said.

Local media today revealed that police had detained a senior police officer with the rank of ASP in relation to the criminal activities masterminded by Liow.

In a separate matter, Ayob Khan said that a man had been detained for posing as a lawyer for the Johor Royal Palace to deceive an advertising company with a billboard fee of RM185,000.

He said the 51-year-old man was held at 9.40 am at Kampung Dato Onn Jaafar here following a report lodged on March 31, 2011, relating to a case of fraud by an individual posing as a Johor Royal Palace lawyer.

“The individual, a lawyer by profession, had deceived the company to obtain RM185,000 as payment for billboard installation charges on the North-South Expressway (PLUS) and the Malaysia-Singapore Second Link (Linkedua).

“The lawyer will be charged in the Shah Alam Sessions Court tomorrow under Section 420 of the Penal Code,” he said.

Ayob Khan said police had previously nabbed two men posing as members of the Johor Royal family for committing fraud of RM2.4 million, adding that both were charged under Section 420 of the Penal Code on Jan 9.