SHAH ALAM, April 10 — The ‘Lanun Merah Black Maria 360’ gang, which is suspected to be headed by the husband of a police officer in Kuala Lumpur, was previously known as the ‘Four-Wheel Drive Group’, according to Selangor police chief Datuk Arjunaidi Mohamed.
He said the gang was believed to be involved in criminal activities such as dumping of rubbish and toxic waste, drug distribution and smuggling of illegal immigrants around Klang in 2019.
“Selangor Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has investigated the gang since 2019. However, there was no solid evidence to connect them with the criminal activities at that time,” he told a press conference at the state Police Contingent Headquarters yesterday.
Arjunaidi said a special task force had been formed to investigate the gang, and he urged those with information on the group to come forward and assist the police in the investigation.
On claims of the use of a ‘kelong’ (offshore platform) as the centre for the gang’s criminal activities, he said the kelong was a place for fishing and renting boats, which was open to the public.
On Thursday, Bukit Aman CID deputy director (intelligence/operations) Datuk Dev Kumar said the investigations were still at an early stage.
Deputy Inspector-General of Police Datuk Seri Acryl Sani Abdullah Sani had previously said that an investigation paper had been opened on the alleged re-emergence of the gang which is said to have at least 500 members, and involved in various forms of organised crime in the Klang area since 2013.
Commenting on the gangsterism issue in Selangor, Arjunaidi said 500 individuals have been detained for various offences related to secret societies from 2019 to March this year.
“It involves 175 cases, and among the offences are fighting, rioting, murder, attempted murder, use of firearms, theft, extortion, and violent crimes,” he said.
— Bernama
