Anti-crime sweep

KUALA LUMPUR: Ops Cantas Khas, the police operation against gangsterism that sent hundreds of underworld figures fleeing the country three years ago, has been re-launched.
"Ops Cantas Khas 2", to be carried out throughout the country over an indefinite period, is expected to be more forceful and intense in weeding out gangs involved in firearms crimes, gun-running, drug dealing and extortion.
Contacted by theSun today, Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar confirmed the launch of the operation but declined further comment.
It is learnt that three elite federal police units, namely the Special Task Force for Anti-Vice, Gaming and Gangsterism (Stagg), Special Task Force on Organised Crime (Stafoc) and Special Tactical Intelligence Narcotics Group (Sting), comprising over 800 members, have been assigned to spearhead the operation.
Sources said police are focusing on Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Johor and Negri Sembilan.
On Friday, federal police top brass met with representatives from all state contingents to discuss the operation.
On the target list are members of Indian gangs who have resumed their old ways after laying low for more than a year after Ops Cantas Khas 1 in August 2013.
The gangsters targeted are those notorious for their involvement in illegal firearms, drug pushing and the monopoly of "turfs" in which they control illegal vehicle parking, provide unlicensed security services and extort protection money from business operators.
In Petaling Jaya, the operation kicked off on Saturday night, with police teams from the federal CID, Selangor police and Stagg raiding three pubs at Section 8, Section 14, and Lorong Utara where 15 men, who worked as caretakers and bouncers, and suspected gang members were arrested.
Police also detained six Indonesian women, a Vietnamese woman and two Bangladeshis at the nightspots for immigration offences. About 120 bottles of duty unpaid liquor were also seized.
In Serdang, a dozen teams from the district police raided three entertainment centres and carried out checks on 210 people and 66 vehicles. Four people were held for drug-related offences and a nightspot was fined for operating without a liquor licence.
The launch of the first "Ops Cantas Khas" three years ago was a call to action against secret societies by the Home Ministry after it identified and banned 49 underworld gangs operating in the country.
Police in tactical gear was a common sight in public areas for months during the operation, during which over 1.3 million people were screened nationwide in search of members of secret societies.
Police also seized dozens of firearms, over 1,100 ammunition and hundreds of sharp weapons in the operation which netted about 44,000 individuals suspected organised crime elements and brought the crime index to an all-time low.
Many gang leaders and their members fled the country, and those who had tattoos of their gang's symbol or logo on their bodies had it either removed or reshaped to avoid police detection.