POLICE have detained 1,462 people and raided 929 illegal gambling premises last week as part of a stepped up bid to shut down the syndicates that are mostly controlled by underworld gangs.

Criminal Investigation Department director Huzir Mohamed said authorities have also identified 160 illegal gambling sydicates operating nationwide, specifically in Selangor, Johor, Penang and Pahang.

“Since June 19, we have conducted a special operation nationwide called Ops Dadu Total Enforcement specifically to combat illegal gambling syndicates.

“In just one week, 1,462 individuals were detained. A week before the ops was launched, we detained 667 and raided 447 premises. We doubled up our effort in just one week,” Huzir said.

Huzir said his department has contacted the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) to block 1270 websites linked to illegal gambling syndicates.

The operations come in the wake of a recent directive from Inspector General of Police Abdul Hamid Bador for cops to cut all ties with underworld gangs.

Meanwhile, Huzir said that police had already recognised 105 gangs with more than 9,042 members.

Huzir added that the police will target members soon, after their operation on illegal gambling syndicates ends.

“However, we have already made arrests since January and 627 people have been detained for gangsterism.

“From the 105 gangs we have identified, 72 have been registered as illegal groups. We are working to blacklist the rest of them soon.

“We will be using the Security Offences and Special Measures Act (Sosma) to detain them until the cabinet decides on the appropriate law,” he said. – June 24, 2019.