Bukit Aman vows to wipe out syndicates

PETALING JAYA: Bukit Aman has declared war on loan sharks, aiming to wipe them out soon.

Comm Datuk Amar Singh said they were committed to taking down the ah long.

“It will not be easy, but we are determined,” the Bukit Aman Com­mercial Crime Investigation Depart­ment (CCID) director said.

Describing police efforts against the ah long as ongoing, Comm Amar said several operations would be conducted around the country.

“Going after the ah long remains one of our top priorities,” he said.

Last year, the CCID busted a Johor-based ah long syndicate that had raked in at least RM3mil a month for the past three years.

Operating from shophouses, apartments and even high-end homes, the syndicate lured victims through flyers and word of mouth, promising “easy” funds.

From being a “business” in Johor, the syndicate expanded to Selangor, Penang, Kedah, Melaka and Negri Sembilan, preying on those who needed fast cash.

But their luck ran out recently when raids by a Bukit Aman task force led to the arrest of 31 syndicate members and its mastermind.

The syndicate had over 1,500 victims. Those who defaulted were threatened and had red paint splashed on their houses.

The loan sharks even resorted to violence and abduction.

The clampdown left a lasting dent on the syndicate’s operations, but Comm Amar said police were not resting on their laurels.

“Our work is not done. We will push on,” he said.