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State Commercial Crime Investigation Department (CCID) Chief Superintendent Lee Ewe Kiang said the department worked with the Ipoh City Council Licensing and Enforcement Department recently to remove 1,200 loan shark advertisements in areas such as Jelapang, Meru, Ampang and Tambun.

“This operation was carried out after we received many complaints from the public,” he said.

“The removal took two hours, but no arrests were made. We removed 350 advertisements in Jelapang and Meru, and 850 in Tambun and Ampang Baru,” he said, adding that the case was being investigated under Section 29AA of the Moneylender Act 1951.

Lee said under Op Vulture last year, 194 illegal money lending cases were investigated and 59 arrests were made.

So far, this year, he said, 59 cases had been recorded and 21 arrests had been made.

“Illegal money lending activities will always exist.

“The police will carry out operations periodically with the local authority,” he said.

Lee said many loan sharks were still at large because many victims refused to lodge police reports.