29 loan sharks caught over five days
> Cops detect 2,305 moneylending cases involving RM68 million
PETALING JAYA: Police arrested 29 loan sharks (Ah Long) and detected 2,305 cases nationwide involving RM68 million in their latest crackdown.
Bukit Aman Commercial Crime Investigation Department (CCID) deputy director Commissioner Datuk A. Thaiveegan said 27 men and two women, aged between 18 and 48, were nabbed over five days in which police also confiscated ATM cards, vehicles, computers, weapons, paint and cash.
“They were arrested in Subang Jaya, Kuala Lumpur, Petaling Jaya, Klang and Kedah. The police would like to send a strong message to these syndicate members that we will come after you if you are going to threaten and splash paint on debtors’ homes. This is not how you do business.
“The Ah Long business is illegal since they do not have licences for their moneylending activities.
“Members of the public, on the other hand, should not fall victim to these syndicates. When you become victims, more problems will arise. So, think before taking loans from these moneylenders,” he told a press conference at Federal CCID headquarters yesterday.
One of the syndicates, consisting of five members, attempted to flee to Thailand through Bukit Kayu Hitam but were intercepted by the police.
“Most of the threats by these Ah Long syndicate members were done by the gangs’ youngsters, and these crooks are mostly from Johor. We will also go after their accomplices in other states.”
On another matter, Thaiveegan said more than 500,000 locals have fallen victims to foreign exchange and ponzi scams since 2016.
“The total losses incurred are estimated to be at RM3 billion,” he added.
On Thursday, theSun reported a getrich-quick scheme syndicate, led by a man with a Datuk Seri title which caused losses of about RM40 million to hundreds of investors, was crippled by police on Aug 1.
The Datuk Seri’s 27-year-old son was also nabbed in the operation.
Police had received 114 reports on the company between February last year and July this year, with 20 investigation papers opened.
The scheme known as MGCfx, which was run by MGC Capital Sdn Bhd, had offered its investors 10% returns weekly for their investments for over a period of four years through foreign exchange trading.