JOHOR BAHRU, Feb 12 — A total of 12 individuals, including a woman and a male teenager, were charged in two separate Sessions and the Magistrates’ Courts here today on charges of being members of two organised criminal groups spanning over the past two years.
All the accused understood the charges facing them, however no pleas were recorded before Judge Datuk Ahmad Kamal Arifin Ismail, Datuk Che Wan Zaidi Che Wan Ibrahim and Magistrate Nur Fatin Mohamad Farid.
For the first six individuals, Lim Kam Weng, 26; R. Kesava Raj, 20; along with four prison inmates, I. Richi, 22; L. Navindran, 26; Mohamad Hazwan Sazali, 38; and J. Jivaneswaran, 25; were charged with being members of the organised criminal group dubbed the Richi Gang.
Their acts were allegedly committed at the Pasir Gudang City Council (MBPG) playground in Jalan Suria 52, Taman Suria in Masai near here, between February 2024 and September 21, 2025.
Meanwhile, six others, M. Vimalanraj, 27; M. Nageswaran, 33; Tommy Voo Tze Hau, 28; Abdul Rahufur Rahim, 31; Kuek Pei Lin, 20; together with the 17-year-old male, were charged with being members of the organised criminal group known as the Vincent Gang.
They were charged with committing the act at Jalan Lagenda 34, Taman Lagenda Putra in Kulai, between March 2025 and January 15, 2026.
All the accused were charged under Section 130V(1) of the Penal Code, making it an offence to be a member of an organised criminal group, and is punishable with five to 20 years imprisonment upon conviction.
The prosecution was conducted by Deputy Public Prosecutors Mohammad Fakhrurrazi Ahmad Salim and Lokman Kasim.
During the proceedings, nine accused were not represented by counsels, while the female accused, Pei Lin, and the teenager, were represented by lawyer Woon Wai King, while lawyer Sharifah Annafiza Al-Shahab Syed Fadzli represented the accused, Voo.
All three courts set March 12 for mention of the case, pending the forensic report of the mobile phones.
The courts also did not offer bail for all the accused.
Yesterday, Inspector-General of Police Datuk Seri Mohd Khalid Ismail was reported saying that the members of the two organised criminal groups would be charged today.
Both groups are involved in home and shophouse burglaries, as well as online sexual extortion activities.
The two organised criminal syndicates are said to have caused a financial loss of more than RM4 million from their illegal activities.
