SERDANG – Police have arrested 16 people, aged 16 to 23, including six women, in a raid at a property in Bandar Puteri Puchong, Selangor, last Thursday for alleged involvement in loan shark harassment activities.
Serdang district police chief Razali Abu Samah said initial investigations reveal that all the suspects were hired by an ah long (loan shark) syndicate to splash paint and harass borrowers.
“The suspects confessed to receiving RM500 per ‘project’,” he told a press conference at the Serdang police headquarters today.
During a search of the premises supposedly used for event planning, police discovered 25 charity organisation receipt books, 200 sheets of paper with names, MyKad and phone numbers, as well as a laptop.
Early investigations also revealed that the syndicate has been active for seven months and is not involved in underworld activities.
Razali said all the suspects will be charged at the Petaling Jaya court tomorrow.
He said the arrests come after a 44-year-old man made a report about being harassed last June by several men believed to have been hired by an ah long, with his home in Puncak Jalil being splashed with paint.
“We’re still hunting for an associate of the suspect(s) who may be linked to this case,” said Razali.
Meanwhile, in another case, three men aged 20 to 30 were arrested in Balakong and Saujana Utama, Selangor, over suspected involvement in robberies in the Serdang and Sepang area.
Razali said the suspects were arrested on January 1 and that police seized motorcycles – two believed stolen and one belonging to a suspect – used to commit the crimes.
He said the suspects have been active for 10 months and would wear black jackets while carrying out their criminal activities.
“Ten robbery and snatch theft cases in Serdang and Kajang have been solved with the arrest of the suspects,” he said. – Bernama, January 11, 2021
