More dirty cops to be hauled up, deputy IGP says
MALAYMAILONLINE
IPOH, May 16 — The unholy alliance between law enforcers and underworld kingpins who identify themselves with honorific titles will soon be a thing of the past as police top brass vowed to bring the curtains down to such patronage.
Giving an assurance more arrests are in the pipeline, Deputy Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Noor Rashid Ibrahim said the shocking disclosure of this alliance came about after police busted the Devan Gang recently.
And the first shakedown has already reverberated among the federal police Narcotics Department with the arrests of 16 police officers and personnel.
Police interrogation of those nabbed in the wake of the crackdown on organised crime syndicates and triads revealed there was a working relationship between the “black sheep” of the boys in blue and the underworld.
They gathered all the evidence needed and as Noor Rashid said: “That was when we decided to act.”
Noor Rashid told reporters this yesterday after closing the 19th national-level police cadet corps camp at the General Operations Forces base in Ulu Kinta.
He declined to disclose much on the ongoing shakedown as not to hamper police efforts to rid the corrupt from within rank and file, nor did he discount the possibilities of more arrests.
“So far, only 16 have been arrested and they are being held under the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012,” he said.
Police have secured a 28-day detention order to facilitate investigations.
Asked how the 16 were linked with drug syndicates, Noor Rashid said the policemen leaked out information on raids and were paid for their tip-offs.
“We do not condone anyone who protects syndicates ... action will be taken,” he said.
Checks revealed the drug syndicate was based in Kuala Lumpur with a nationwide distribution network, and investigators are not ruling out the possibility the corrupt policemen had spread their tentacles far and wide nationwide.
With such information readily available, the syndicate carried out their activities with impunity as they had corrupt police on a monthly retainer.
In recent months, the underworld drew much media attention with numerous arrests and seizures carried out nationwide.
This year, four individuals with “Datuk” titles and a “Datuk Seri” were among more than 50 hardcore gangsters detained in what was the biggest crackdown on organised crime.
Three with honorific titles and 30 others were linked to the notorious Gang 360 Devan, a splinter of Gang 36 who were noted for their armed robberies, extortions, drug trafficking and kidnappings.
The “Datuk Seri” was the leader of the Penang-based Gang 24.
Gang 360 Devan captured police attention when a spate of incidents saw rival gang members killed, especially those from the Satu Hati gang.
Police had also revealed that those with honorific titles were associated with politics.
The crackdown on the Penang-based gang came about after the infamous video recording of a triad member being whipped at a funeral parlour went viral late last year.
The incident was recorded during the wake of the gang’s second-in-command, known as “Datuk M”, who was shot dead by his bodyguard.
