Smear paint and get RM500, Ah Long's new tactic to hire syndicates from KL

JOHOR BAHRU - Unlicensed money lenders or Ah Long were detected using a new tactic by hiring syndicates from Kuala Lumpur to Batu Pahat just to smear paint.

Johor Police Chief Datuk Kamarul Zaman Mamat said the tactic was revealed after eight members of a syndicate aged 27 to 67 were arrested in several raids in Kuala Lumpur.

He said the salary was about RM500 for each act.

On Jan 4, a police team from D7 Criminal Investigation Department (JSJ) from Johor and Batu Pahat raided and arrested three individuals hired by the syndicate at 1.40pm.

"The information was from Brickfields Criminal Investigation division who had previously arrested three local men and two Vietnamese woman," he said in a press conference, here.

During the raid, the police further confiscated seven mobile phones, RM4,649 in cash, a pair of gloves, two cars, 12 bank cards, two home access cards and two pieces of paper with the borrower's address written on them, Kamarul Zaman added.

He further said they are locating the remaining syndicates.

"Some of those detained were ex-borrowers who failed to clear their debts and committed crimes in order to pay off their debts. They worked here to make additional money.

"The syndicate's modus operandi is to advertise on social media and charge loan rates from RM1,000 to RM50,000 while the loan interest charged is 20 to 50 percent," he said.

He explained that all those detained will be under remand for six days til Tuesday to assist the investigation.

The case is investigated under Section 427, 435 and 436 of the Penal Code.

Kamarul Zaman said the police beleives the arrest will give an insight into 21 related cases linked to Ah Longs in the state, including those in Brickfields and Tanjung Minyak, Melaka.