Man arrested over 'Ah Long' activities since 2016

MELAKA: Melaka Police have busted an unlicensed money lending syndicate with the arrest of a man, believed to be active in Ah Long (loan sharking) activities since 2016, in a raid on a house in Cheng Perdana, here on Sunday (December 13).

Melaka Deputy Police Chief Datuk Shahrul Lalli Masduki said in the raid carried out as a result of intelligence and complaints received by his team, the 40-yearold suspect was arrested at 9 am at his house, which was also used as an office to carry out the activity.

"Investigations also found that the suspect charged monthly interest of between six to 11 per cent to his customers and offered loans between RM500 to RM5,000 besides focusing on borrowers around Alor Gajah, Jasin and Melaka Tengah.

"Police believe that about 626 loans are still active with the discovery of individual documents of borrowers in the raid, most of whom are petty traders, factory workers, single mothers and so on," he told a press conference at the Melaka Police Contingent Headquarters (IPK) in here, yesterday.

Shahrul Lalli said during the operation, police also seized various other items, including five mobile phones, nine debit cards, 52 bank account books of various banks, RM15,000 cash, a money loan card and a Perodua Bezza car.

He said the suspect was under remand for four days starting Monday (December 14) until today (Dec 17) and that the case is being investigated under Section 5 (2) of the Moneylenders Act 1951.

Meanwhile, Shahrul Lalli said the arrest of the suspect was also the first involving an unlicensed money lending syndicate this year while there had been 33 other loan cases involving Ah Long.

"The complaints also found that most of the borrowers are desperate due to the hardships of life as well as petty traders who find it difficult to get a loan due to the lack of supporting documents and so on.

"Some borrowers complained of receiving threatening calls from Ah Long who also hang buntings aimed at causing embarrassment and intimidating borrowers as well as spraying paint on individuals who failed to pay their loans," he said. -