Cops to use POCA in mini casino probes
SHAH ALAM: Landlords in Selangor who rent out their premises to gaming syndicates will land in hot water soon as the state police plan to use the Prevention of Crime Act (POCA) against them.
The move came in the wake of the defiance of syndicates who continued to operate these mini casinos despite countless raids by the authorities.
Selangor police chief Datuk Abdul Samah Mat said they were hoping that the law would be amended to enable the seizure of these premises. He said owners of shophouses and buildings would be afraid to rent out their premises if they faced the risk of losing the properties if found guilty of working with syndicates.
“There have been many cases where the same premises were raided by the authorities for housing illegal gambling activities.
“Why? Because it is a lucrative business, and the owners usually have their cut, a percentage of what the syndicates make at their premises. I believe that one day, if the law provides for the seizures of the premises rented by syndicates, our actions will effective,” he said at the Selangor police headquarters here yesterday.
Abdul Samah said this after the handover of duties from outgoing Selangor Criminal Investigation Department (CID) chief Datuk Adnan Abdullah to his successor Senior Assistant Commissioner Fadzil Ahmat.
He said premises owners, who often failed to facilitate investigations every time their premises were raided, had always claimed that they were unaware that such activities took place on their properties. Abdul Samah said police knew that this was only an excuse, as it did not make sense for landlords to lease their property without knowing what they were used for.
He said police would start using POCA in probing landlords suspected of being in cahoots with syndicates.
It was learnt that investigations into the owners would include checks on their finances. On allegations that there had been moles in the force informing syndicates ahead of police operations, Abdul Samah did not deny the possibility. He said Selangor police had taken measures to minimise the risk of information leaks.
He said between January and September, the state police had carried out 3,783 raids against illegal gaming dens. The operations saw 41,542 gaming machines and equipment worth RM33.2 million seized, and 4,476 suspects arrested.
He said five out of 218 suspects detained under POCA in Selangor this year were suspected members of illegal gaming syndicates.