GEORGE TOWN: Police arrested three individuals, including an employee of a dates distribution company on suspicion of being involved in the robbery of the company's money worth RM143,941 in a series of raids in Penang and Kedah on March 17 and 18.
Penang deputy police chief Datuk Mohamed Usuf Jan Mohamad said the couple and another man, all locals, aged 27 to 52, were arrested in Seberang Perai Tengah, Seberang Perai Selatan, and Sungai Petani, Kedah, respectively.
“Police recovered a sum of RM71,019 believed to have been stolen by the suspects,“ he said at a press conference at the Penang contingent police headquarters (IPK) in Penang here, today.
He said at about 2.20 pm on Feb 27, a worker of the company was robbed by an unknown man while on his way to deposit money in a bank in Simpang Ampat, Nibong Tebal near here.
He added that the suspect suddenly approached the victim and snatched his bag containing the money before fleeing on a motorcycle.
Mohamed Usuf said following the incident, police set up a taskforce in the search of the suspect before arresting three individuals allegedly involved in the case, which was orchestrated by a 52-year-old employee of the company.
He said two of those arrested had previous records for gambling and drug offences.
All of them have been remanded for seven days to assist in the investigation under Section 392 of the Penal Code.
In a separate development, Mohamed Usuf said in January and February, the state Criminal Investigation Department launched four Op Cantas Mega, targetting former criminals and wanted suspects.
He said 253 raids were conducted in Penang, Kedah and Perlis, with 245 people nabbed for various offences, among others human smuggling and trafficking, violent crimes, and drug trafficking.
“A total of 115 local men, 60 local women, 53 foreign men and 17 foreign women aged 18 to 64 were detained,” he said. -Bernama