Police bust blackmail gang in Penang

Police busted the ‘ Toh Poi’ gang, believed to have been involved in blackmailing factory managers and businessmen in southwest Penang here after detaining three suspects in Butterworth near here on Monday.

Southwest Penang police chief Supt Lai Fah Hin said the three men, aged between 28 and 55, who are believed to have been blackmailing individuals for about four years, were arrested at 6.45pm.

“The three unemployed men would look for victims through business cards or newspaper advertisements before contacting them for protection money,” he told a press conference here yesterday.

He said the syndicate would send threats by contacting their victims only via mobile phones registered under foreigners with different numbers for each victim.

“They would threaten to hurt or kill the victim’s family members if they did not pay protection money which is normally set at between RM3,000 to RM5,000.

“We expect to solve at least 40 cases involving the gang,” he said.

Lai said initial investigations revealedthatthevictimscomprised wealthy individuals like factory managers and businessmen in Bayan Baru, Bayan Lepas, Batu Maung, Teluk Kumbar and Balik Pulau.

Following the arrest of the three men, police seized nine mobile phones, SIM cards registered under foreigners, bank books and ATM cards used in their blackmailing operation, he said.

“The three suspects who have past criminal records, were remanded for four days starting yesterday to assist investigations,” he said.

He also advised members of the public who were victims of the gang to come forward to assist investigations. — Bernama