GEORGE TOWN, March 27 ― The crime rate in Penang has dropped more than 50 per cent since the implementation of the movement order control (MCO), said Penang Police Chief Comm Datuk Sahabudin Abd Manan.

He said before the MCO, an average of 14 criminal cases are reported each day.

"Now, we are seeing fewer cases, we are seeing three to five to eight cases per day,” he said in a press conference at the police headquarters today.

He said there were also face mask scams being reported.

"We received 41 reports of such cases since January and one has been charged in the Butterworth court,” he said.

He added that the 41 cases involved losses amounting to RM380,672.

On the enforcement of MCO, he said the compliance rate in Penang is about 94 per cent.

He said the police together with the armed forces and Rela will continue to conduct roadblocks and snap checks to ensure compliance of the MCO.

About 5,400 policemen in Penang are on duty to implement the MCO.

The police had arrested 31 people for non-compliance with the MCO since March 20.