JOHOR BARU: The leader of the Gee Tiong Seng secret society was among 16 suspects arrested by police for involvement in the kidnapping of a businessman in Gelang Patah, Johor recently.
Johor police chief Datuk Mohd Khalil Kader Mohd, said the suspects comprising 13 men and three women were detained at separate locations after the victim was released on Jan 31.
“All the suspects are Malaysian citizens aged between 21 and 59 years.
“Five of the suspects arrested are members of the Gee Tiong Seng and Ah Hor secret societies with one of them being the Gee Tiong Seng leader,“ he told reporters at the Johor Police Contingent Headquarters, here today.
Mohd Khalil said the secret societies were believed to have been active since 2010 in the Taman Tun Aminah area with gambling and extortion being their main activities.
Investigations further revealed that all five suspects had previous records related to crime and drugs, he said.
Mohd Khalil added police were tracking down the remaining suspects who are still free, and to look into their previous extortion cases where firearms were used, and to identify the extent of their involvement.
“In addition, the police recovered RM108,188 in cash and also seized two vehicles believed to have been used by the group in the kidnapping,“ he added.
When asked about the motive, Mohd Khalil said the abduction, it was believed, was get more money to pay off debts and the victim was targeted because he was a successful businessman.
All suspects will be remanded until Feb 11.
On Jan 27, a businessman who exports vegetables to Singapore was kidnapped by two masked men while jogging with a friend near the water tank area at Jalan Gelang Patah, at about 7am.
One of the suspects also fired a gunshot believed to be from a 9mm gun based on the bullet shells found by the police at the scene.
The 57-year-old was released five days later (Jan 31) and was unharmed, after the family paid a ransom of RM1,097,650.
Mohd Khalil added that police were still trying to track the rest of the ransom money. — Bernama
