48,000 on wanted list

(BRIEF CAPTION): Police arresting public for those haven pay their compound at IPD on 18th May 2015. Pic by: Sin Chew Daily (18th May 2015)

POLICE are now hot on the heels of some 48,000 traffic offenders with outstanding arrest warrants in Penang.

Roadblocks have been mounted at strategic locations statewide in an effort to trace the offenders.

State traffic police chief Deputy Supt Tan Boon Hooi said all the respective district traffic chiefs had been instructed to set up roadblocks to nab the offenders with such warrants over their heads.

“We will pick them up on the spot if we come across any of them. They will then be brought to the nearest police station for the next course of action.

“This is just the beginning. Traffic offenders should understand that it is their social obligation to settle the summonses.

“Please come forward and settle your dues. Do not wait for us to come knocking on your door,” he said when contacted yesterday.

He added that the 48,000 summonses with arrest warrants were issued between 2000 and 2014.

At press time, a check by The Star showed that eight people were already arrested and brought to the Patani Road police station.

One of them, a motorcyclist, in his 20s, had four traffic summonses with outstanding arrest warrants issued in 2013 and 2014.

Police immediately whisked him to the George Town police district headquarters for further action.

A sizeable crowd was also seen lining up to pay their summonses at the traffic police counters.

According to George Town traffic police, a total of 1,518 traffic offences with arrest warrants were issued between March and May this year.

Most of the offenders were residents in Paya Terubong and Air Itam.