Police free man abducted by loan sharks

The police rescued a 21-year-old after he was abducted by three men, believed to be loan sharks at a supermarket in Taman Tun Aminah here last Wednesday.

Johor police chief Datuk Mokhtar Mohd Shariff said the suspects had demanded a sum of money from the victim's brother before agreeing to free the victim.

One day after the incident, police apprehended a 24-year-old man and a 29-year-old woman at Taman Mount Austin believed to be involved in the incident," he told a media conference on Wednesday.

With the arrest of the two individuals involved, police were led to a 19-year-old man and later freed the victim and recovered his car.

Mohd Mokhtar said a follow-up operation led to the arrest of another two men, aged 22 and 24, in Johor Jaya who were involved in the same incident.

"Police also nabbed five men believed to be loan sharks who are involved in the case," he said, adding that police also seized various weapons including six machetes, a sword and a knife.

Police also seized a wooden sword, three knuckle dusters, the victim's identity card and six mobile phones.

Based on a review of previous cases, one of the suspects was found to be involved in five previous criminal cases, he said.

"The success enabled police to solve one abduction case in north Johor Baharu while the suspects are believed to be able to assist investigations on several molotov cocktail attacks in North Johor Baharu, South Johor Baharu and Nusajaya," he said.

Meanwhile, Mohd Mokhtar said police apprehended seven men aged, between 27 and 65, at a restaurant in Jalan Hang Tuah, Taman Ungku Tun Aminah on Monday.

The arrest was the result of a report by a man yesterday that his house had been splashed with red paint by three men believed to be loan sharks.

"In the arrest, police also confiscated 12 money withdrawal receipts, four receipts of money deposit, six sim cards, two mobile phones, six bank books and cash money," he said.

He said four of the suspects detained had five previous criminal records.