Traffickers may be behind Pastor Koh’s abduction, says IGP

KUALA LUMPUR: A human, drug and arms trafficking syndicate busted in Kedah and Perak last month may have been involved in the abduction of Pastor Raymond Koh, said Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar.

The Inspector-General of Police said that after questioning the three detained syndicate members, police believe the group has links with others in southern Thailand.

“We are working with our Thai counterparts to investigate further,” he told a press conference after the handing over ceremony for three Bukit Aman directors yesterday.

He added that allegations by former Petaling Jaya councillor Peter Chong that he was threatened by a few men in Pattaya, Thailand, may have been connected to the case.

Chong has claimed that he was also abduct- ed in Thailand while meeting a source for news on Koh.

Asked if police believed Koh was taken to a neighbouring country, the IGP said investigations were still ongoing.

It was reported that the Perak Serious Crimes Unit (D9) and Special Task Force On Organised Crime (Stafoc) were involved in a shootout with a suspect near Kampung Weng in Ulu Lenggong, Kedah, on June 17.

The suspect, who was killed in the shootout, had opened fire at police with a 9mm Norinco pistol.

Checks on his car led to the discovery of 40g of heroin and two licence plates.

In a follow-up operation, police raided the suspect’s house in Kampung Selarong, Pengkalan Hulu, Perak, and arrested his wife.

They also seized a pipe bomb, 250g of syabu, a cache of bullets of various calibre, and pictures believed to be of the pastor, his house and his vehicles as well as a licence plate bearing the number ST5515D.

Three other suspects, in their 30s and 60s, were arrested in a follow-up operation recently.

Investigations revealed that the slain suspect, who was in his 40s, was the main player in an arms, drugs and human trafficking syndicate operating at the Malaysia-Thailand border.

Koh was abducted by a group of masked men in Jalan SS4B/10, less than 100m from the Police Housing Complex in Kelana Jaya, Petaling Jaya, on Feb 13.

He was driving a silver Honda Accord bearing the licence plate ST5515D and was on his way to a friend’s house nearby when he was abducted.

CCTV footage showed that at least 10 men and seven vehicles were involved in the abduction.

In an unrelated matter, the IGP said Bukit Aman was ready for the coming SEA Games next month with security preparations in full swing.