Suspected secret society members among 124 detained in Penang

GEORGE TOWN: A total of 124 individuals including 26 suspected secret society members were detained at a birthday party held at a karaoke centre in Pulau Tikus, here, early this morning.

Penang Criminal Investigation Department (CID) chief SAC Rahimi Ra'ais said the 1 am raid was conducted by the Anti-Vice, Gambling and Secret Societies Division (D7) together with the Northeast district police headquarters' CID, based on information and intelligence.

"During the raid, police found 124 individuals, aged between 15 and 70, including several foreign nationals partying to loud music. There were 99 men and 25 women in the group.

"They were celebrating the birthday of one of them. Investigations revealed that 26 of them had tattoos and are suspected of being secret society members," he said in a statement, today.

Rahimi said further investigations are underway to track the gang's network.

He also said that 21 of those detained tested positive for drugs and all 124 were remanded for further investigations.

-- BERNAMA