SIBU, Sept 27: Four debt collectors of an unlicensed money lender, locally known as ‘Ah Long’ have been taken into custody on Sept 22.
Sarawak Police Commissioner Datuk Mohd Azman Ahmad Sapri announced at a press conference today that the suspects were actively involved in criminal threats and intimidation, including splashing paint on the houses of debtors who failed to repay their loans.
“At around 8.50 pm on Lorong Lada 3, Jalan Lada here, a police team from the Sibu District Commercial Crime Investigation Department and Lanang Police intercepted a brown Proton Wira car being driven by three suspects behaving suspiciously.
“The suspects, local men aged between 20 and 40, were subsequently brought to the police station for investigation,” he stated.
The police also confiscated two bottles containing red liquid, a padlock chain, three mobile phones, and two pieces of paper containing threatening messages from a shoulder bag.
Mohd Azman mentioned that the three suspects confessed to working as debt collectors for an Ah Long named Akmal, earning RM300 for each task.
“Their modus operandi included delivering threatening messages and vandalizing the homes of borrowers who had not repaid debts obtained through Facebook,” he added.
Subsequently, the police apprehended another suspect.
“Two of them are being investigated under Section 5(2) of the Moneylenders Act 1951, while the remaining cases are being investigated under Section 427 of the Penal Code,” he reported.
Mohd Azman also urged the public not to seek loans from unlicensed or online moneylenders.
Anyone with information about criminal activities is encouraged to contact the nearest police station or the Sibu IPD operations room at 084-364373. — DayakDaily
