Enforcement Deputy Director (Operations) Muhammad Kifli Ma Hassan said three cars belonging to locals were also impounded during the special operation conducted between 7am and noon today following a public tip-off.
He said the three men, in their 20s, from Nepal, Bangladesh and Pakistan, were believed to have been involved in the illegal activity for six months using 30 vehicles.
“Our intelligence and investigation revealed that they had advertised a wide selection of cars to rent out by placing the advertisements in the social media and on lamp posts in and around Cyberjaya.
“They charged RM120 to RM140 per day, depending on the vehicle type and they had been making a profit of more than RM126,000 a month by providing the service,” he told a press conference at his office, here, today.
Muhammad Kifli said the three men, who are second and third-year students of a local private higher learning institution in Cyberjaya, had targeted foreign students as their clients.
“They rented these cars from local owners and then rented them out to other people.
“The profits were shared and split based on the agreed ratio, possibly 50-50,” he said, adding that the department would be issuing summonses to the trio and the vehicle owners.
He added that the RTD was now tracing the owners of the cars impounded, while the three would be handed over to the Immigration Department for the next course of action.
They are being investigated under Section 23(2) of the Road Transport Act 1987, which provides for a fine of not less than RM1,000 and not exceeding RM10,000 or imprisonment of up to two years, or both, he said.
He said the three were also being investigated under Section 90(1) of the same Act, which carries a fine not exceeding RM1,000 or a jail term of up to three months, or both.
On another development, Muhammad Kifli said two masterminds behind the “Tonto” syndicate were nabbed separately, bringing the number of individuals arrested to 12 so far, in a special joint operation with the Royal Malaysian Police (RMP) to bust the activity.
“The two men, in their 40s, were arrested in Negeri Sembilan and Selangor on Monday and Wednesday respectively,” he said, adding that they were among 16 Tonto on the RMP wanted list.
– BERNAMA