PENAMPANG: Police have arrested eight men, including the leader of a gang known as ‘Kumpulan Awen’, for their alleged involvement in motorcycle thefts around here and Putatan.
The suspects, aged between 19 and 42, were detained in a series of raids that also led to the recovery of six stolen motorcycles worth an estimated RM40,000.
Investigations showed the gang leader, 22, had 12 previous criminal records linked to motorcycle theft and drug offences, while most of his accomplices also had similar records.
Four of the suspects tested positive for methamphetamine during screening, and three of them were identified as buyers of the stolen motorcycles in Kota Marudu.
District police chief Supt Sammy Newton said the case is being investigated under Section 379A of the Penal Code, which carries a jail term of up to seven years and a possible fine upon conviction.
