When police stormed the premises, the men, aged between 22 and 56, were having a ceremony to introduce and register new members. - Pic credit Facebook PolisPulauPinang
When police stormed the premises, the men, aged between 22 and 56, were having a ceremony to introduce and register new members. - Pic credit Facebook PolisPulauPinang

SEBERANG JAYA: Police have detained 40 men, believed to be triad (kongsi gelap) members, hiding behind the name of a non-governmental organisation (NGO), at a luxury restaurant here on Saturday night.

When police stormed the premises, the men, aged between 22 and 56, were having a ceremony to introduce and register new members.

State Criminal Investigations Department chief Senior Assistant Commissioner Rahimi Ra'ais said, acting on a tip-off, a team of D7 police from the state police headquarters and the district CID ambushed the premises about 9.30pm.

He said police suspected that the triad members, under the guise of the NGO, were planning to revive their influence in Penang, Kedah and Perlis.

"The raid led to the arrest of 40 men from Penang, Kedah and Perlis.

"Further checks also revealed that eight of the men detained had the tattoo of an illegal society on them," he said yesterday.

Rahimi said police seized 55 cell phones, two rings, a chain and an earring, with the symbol of an illegal society, on it.

He added that all those detained were taken to the district police headquarters for further investigations under Section 43 of the Societies Act 1966.

"We want to thank the public for tipping us off and their cooperation in fighting crime," he added.