KUALA LUMPUR: Five underground gangs who had formed an alliance to carry out various crimes, including murder and extortion, have been crippled following a massive swoop that rounded up 21 gang members.
The gang members were arrested in Johor, Pahang and Selangor by the Bukit Aman Criminal Investigation Department’s (CID) Organised Crime Division (D14), with assistance from the anti-vice, gambling and secret societies division (D7), on May 3.
Bukit Aman CID director Comm Datuk Seri Mohd Shuhaily Mohd Zain said the suspects were members of five gangs: Gang 08, Gang 18, Gang 21, Gang 24 and Gang 36.
“They formed an alliance known as the TR Gang.
“We believe they have been operating since 2019,” he told a press conference at Bukit Aman here yesterday.
The gangs were notorious as they were involved in various crimes including drug trafficking, murder, extortion and arson in Selangor, Comm Mohd Shuhaily said.
“We conducted surveillance and intelligence gathering for about two years before bringing down this alliance of gangs.
“It took time to build cases against the suspects as they were from different gangs.
“There was a lot of information and many leads to follow up on. CID personnel worked round the clock for about two years to take them down,” he said.
Comm Mohd Shuhaily said 20 of the suspects were charged yesterday under Section 130V of the Penal Code, which covers organised criminal groups, at the Klang Sessions Court.
“One of them could not be charged as he is receiving treatment at the National Heart Institute,” he added.
Asked about initiation rites into the gang alliance, Comm Mohd Shuhaily said the situation has changed.
“We believe prospective members are now accepted into the gangs by completing specific assigned tasks,” he said.
Comm Mohd Shuhaily said the CID is still tracking down remnants of the gangs.
“We believe they went into hiding once we moved against their gang members.
“However, we have identified about 10 remaining members out there and we will get them.
“This special operation continues; we will not rest until the rest of the gangs are in custody.”
“We are determined to bring down those involved in organised crime,” he added.
Meanwhile, the Klang court complex was a hive of activity yesterday when the 20 people, aged between 26 and 51, were brought in under heavy security to face criminal charges.
The men were charged at the Sessions Court in Klang under the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 (Sosma).
The men are accused of being members of the TR Gang for the past five years.
They had allegedly carried out the activities from November 2019 to May 2 this year at a restaurant located at Jalan Bagan Sungai Janggut, Jeram, Kuala Selangor.
The accused are N. Nithiyan, 39; S. Logan, 32; R. Parthipan, 32; M. Keshava Nair, 30; A. Balamurugan, 40; VS Wilbert, 46; M. Ramakrishnan, 45; E. Mohan, 34; M. Thanasekaran, 44; Edward Liew, 49; S. Manoraj, 28; M. Amaran, 30; S Hemanathan, 31; K. Thana Seelan, 38; K. Ravishankar, 43; Muhammad Razi Abdullah 51; G. Deeneskumar, 29; K. Venaigaraj, 32; A. Kogilan and M. Tineshkumar (both 26).
The charges were made against the 20 suspected gang members before judge Ahmad Faizadh Yahya.
No pleas were recorded as Sosma comes under the jurisdiction of the High Court.
The charge was framed under Section 130V (1) of the Penal Code and if found guilty, the accused could face a jail term of five to 20 years.
The judge fixed June 26 for the case to be mentioned and transferred it to the High Court.
Lawyers Ayasamy Velu, Revin Kumar, Naizatul Zamrina Karizaman and S. Vinesh appeared for 14 of the accused, while the remaining six were unrepresented.
Deputy public prosecutors Shafiq Hasim, Syafinas Shabudin and Lina Hanini Ismail appeared for the prosecution.
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