JOHOR BAHRU:Secret society members still active in the state are believed to be behind the illegal sale of repossessed cars (‘piang’ car business), said Johor police chief Datuk Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay.

While admitting that the business is not something new he said, such activity is a sideline of the gangs’ criminal and drug trafficking activities.

The matter was revealed following the murder of a car repossessor, believed to be a member of a secret society from Selangor and the incident was alleged to be due to dissatisfaction as the latter had entered the area of another secret society from Johor, Geng Ngo Seek Kee on Dec 20.

“Geng Ngo Seek Kee, has been around for quite sometime now. Yesterday five people were charged     in court and we are still tracking down another suspect known as Tan Kim Bong, 36, who is believed to be the syndicate leader whose last address was in Batu Pahat, Johor,” he told reporters, here, today.

Elaborating on how this car business operates, Ayob Khan said when a person can no longer afford to pay the car loan instalment, the vehicle will be repossessed but instead of handing the car over to the bank, the car will be put for sale with the condition that it could only be used within a certain location or area which is controlled by the secret society.

"In the recent case, they (both gangs) were fighting over a repossessed car," he said, adding that buyers or users of such cars would make monthly payments of at least RM100, to the gang.

He said the gang members would also target luxury cars for repossession.

-- BERNAMA