Penang police have dismantled an armed robbery syndicate following the arrest of nine suspects linked to the theft of RM3.6 million in gold under Op Jingga D Garden. State police chief Datuk Azizee Ismail confirmed that coordinated operations conducted from 26 March through to the previous day utilised personnel from the Criminal Investigation Department at the Penang contingent police headquarters and the Criminal Investigation Division of the Seberang Perai Utara district police headquarters.
Tactical raids across the Barat Daya and Timur Laut districts secured the detention of seven local men and two Indonesian women aged between 23 and 43. “During the operations, police also seized jewellery weighing about 4.3 kilogrammes of gold, a machete, four tyres with sports rims and two vehicles believed to have been used in the robberies. “Preliminary investigations found that the group targeted salespersons transporting jewellery for delivery or transactions at gold shops around Penang,” he said in a statement today.
Authorities have classified the syndicate as neutralised following the arrests. Datuk Azizee Ismail verified that the detentions resolve a specific gang robbery reported at 9.20 am on 26 March in Seberang Perai Utara. Forensic accounting of the incident documents the loss of 6,023.69 grammes of jewellery with a market assessment of RM3.6 million.
Background verification procedures identified severe recidivism among the detainees. Three individuals maintain extensive criminal registers, with one subject recording seventeen prior offences and a separate drug conviction. “Three of the suspects tested positive for methamphetamine,” the chief stated, while confirming that active tracking operations remain underway for additional accomplices currently evading capture.
All detainees are currently held under remand to facilitate procedural enquiries. The investigative file is being processed under Sections 395, 397 and 109 of the Penal Code. Law enforcement officials have formally requested public restraint regarding speculative discourse to prevent obstruction of ongoing judicial proceedings or unnecessary civil disruption.
