JOHOR BARU: Police here have arrested eight members of loan shark syndicates for allegedly being involved in arson and splashing red paint in the state since October last year.
Johor police chief Datuk Kamarul Zaman Mamat said that based on investigations, the suspects were involved in 21 cases in the state and two cases in Kuala Lumpur and Melaka.
He said that the Batu Pahat anti-vice, gambling and secret societies division (D7) unit conducted a raid in Kuala Lumpur at 1.40pm on Wednesday (Jan 4) and managed to arrest three local men aged between 28 and 37.
"The men were part of a loan shark syndicate that conducted arson and splashed red paint on borrowers who failed to make payments,” said Kamarul Zaman.
He added that this was part of a follow-up arrest made by the Brickfields HQ Criminal Investigation Department on Dec 29 last year.
“They arrested five individuals, including a local woman and a Vietnamese woman, aged between 27 and 68," he added at a press conference at the Johor police headquarters here on Sunday (Jan 8).
He said the group's modus operandi was to come to Johor to conduct criminal acts and get paid RM800 for each job from 12am to 4am.
"They would either throw molotov cocktails or red paint on the victims' houses and record it on video to show to higher-ups to get paid. Each person would conduct at least four jobs per night.
"Some of them also acted as mules, where they would get 10% commission from every transaction," he said, adding that the group had targetted victims in Iskandar Puteri, Batu Pahat, Kluang, Muar and Tangkak.
Police also confiscated cash worth RM4,649, various types of clothing, two vehicles, seven mobile phones and a document with the addresses of victims.
All suspects are currently on remand until Jan 10.
The case is being investigated under Section 427 of the Penal Code for committing mischief, Section 435 of the Penal Code for mischief by fire, and Section 436 of the Penal Code for mischief by fire or explosive substance with intent to destroy property.
