Op Cantas crackdown on triads: 1,444 arrested

A total of 1,444 individuals were arrested under the 'Op Cantas Khas 2' crackdown on triads nationwide, including 183 on the most wanted list.

Federal Police (Bukit Aman) CID Director Datuk Seri Mohmad Salleh said under the operation which began on Aug 6, 36,684 individuals were screened and 19,558 vehicles checked until Thursday.

He said 995 of them were detained for 'documentation process' to check whether they had criminal records, while the rest on suspicion of involvement in various offences including rioting and secret society activities.

"Through inspections, we seized 54 vehicles, 20 bullets, 21 knives, 13 parangs, six firearms, six swords, two knuckle dusters, two steel rods, and a marble rifle," he told a press conference, here, Friday.

Asked on the secret societies involved, Mohmad said they included the '36', '04', '18' and 'Satu Hati' gangs.

He said police also received information some triad members had fled to Thailand to avoid being arrested under the Op Cantas.

"We will ask for assistance from the Royal Police of Thailand to arrest them," he said.

Mohmad said some of those who fled had been arrested under the Emergency Ordinance previously.

"After the law was abolished (in 2011) they were freed from detention centres and had grabbed the opportunity to go there (Thailand) and are suspected to becarrying out illegal businesses.

"This Op Cantas Khas 2 will continue to hunt down those involved in violent crimes, which is a threat to national security and public order," he added.