MELAKA: Melaka police arrested a teenage girl who appeared to be “a rose among the thorns” gang member of a loan shark syndicate.
State police chief Deputy Comm Datuk Zainol Samah said the 18-year-old girl was among seven individuals nabbed by police during a midnight raid at a condominium in Jalan Tun Perak here on Tuesday (June 25).
The other suspects, he said, were all males including two teenage boys.
"The teenager claimed she was employed by the illegal money lending syndicate for the past six months and paid a monthly salary as well as commission.
"We are still investigating her claims," he said on Thursday (June 27).
DCP Zainol said those arrested were aged between 48 and 18 years and are currently being remanded for four days to assist investigation under Section 5(2) of the Moneylenders Act 1951.
He said the 48-year-old leader of the syndicate as well as three other suspects have previous criminal records.
DCP Zainol said the modus operandi by the syndicate was to target borrowers on Facebook before collecting the personal details of those interested in securing loans through WhatsApp.
"The syndicate will offer loans amounting between RM500 to RM5,000 each and charge exorbitant weekly interest rates," he said.
DCP Zainol said all transactions and loan repayments were made using mule bank account holders.
"The syndicate targeted would-be borrowers from Kuala Lumpur, Negri Sembilan, Johor and here," he said.
He added that the raiding party also confiscated, among others, several mobile phones and access cards to the condominium unit.
