Cops clamp down on 40,313 gang members nationwide

JOHOR BARU: Police are going all out to clamp down a total 40,313 gang members under 72 illegal gangs nationwide, as a portion of the members have been identified.

Federal CID director Datuk Seri Mohmad Salleh said that said that a total of 49 of the gangs have been gazetted as illegal groups under the Societies Act 1966 while another 23 gangs that were identified are in the process of being gazetted.

"It is going to be a challenge for the police to clamp down these gangs but I believe that it can be done," he told reporters during a press conference here on Monday.

He added that some 193 individuals have been detained under the Prevention of Crime Act (Poca) since it was implemented in April.

"About 2,615 members that were nabbed about two years ago have since been released, nevertheless we have records of the individuals and keep close eye on them.

"The number of members have been also growing and we want to catch these new members before they get deeply involves," he said.