Nine Thais arrested for threatening mosque caretaker with fake gun

SUNGAI BULOH: Police have arrested nine Thai nationals including a 14-year-old boy, after they tried to threaten a mosque caretaker with a fake gun.
The group comprising seven males and two females from ages 14 to 50, who were caught in possession of fake guns and knives, claimed that they had come to Malaysia to collect donations for a mosque in Thailand.
District police chief Superintendent Dr Abdul Aziz Awang Darus said that they were apprehended at a mosque in Bandar Baru Sungai Buloh at about 12.15am today.
Abdul Aziz said the mosque's caretaker had alerted the police after one of the Thais allegedly threatened him with a gun.
"They went to the mosque to sleep, but were not allowed to by the caretaker. One of them then (allegedly) threatened him by brandishing a gun.
"Police went to the location after they were contacted by the caretaker," Abdul Aziz told the media during a press conference.
He said that police had seized a truck and a car belonging to the group and found weapons, and donation boxes.
They had seized four fake guns, 123 bullets in the form of ball bearings, four donation containers, four knives, RM1,500 in cash, and fake documents, which purportedly allowed them to solicit donations.
Abdul Aziz said police believed they are part of a larger donation-collecting syndicate in Thailand, whose members enter Malaysia regularly to collect donations or extort members of the public for money.
He said the Thais are being remanded until Friday. They are being investigated for carrying fake firearms under the Firearms Act 1960.