JOHOR BARU, March 11 — The Johor Road Transport Department (RTD) has crippled a pirate taxi syndicate operated by foreigners during a special operation around Sungai Rengit near Pengerang yesterday.
Johor RTD director Razali Wagiman said the operation saw the department’s team confiscate 11 cars consisting of Proton Wira, Waja, Saga and Iswara models.
He said 11 Nepalese and Bangladesh nationals, aged in their 20s to 40s, were arrested during the 12.45pm operation.
“Investigations revealed that the suspects modus operandi involved offering transport services to foreigners from construction areas around Sungai Rengit and Pengerang, where they receive a monthly fee,” said Razali at the Johor RTD headquarters in Taman Daya here today.
It is understood that foreigners pay about RM150 to RM200 a month for the transportation services offered.
Razali said RTD officers conducted the raid after the department received complaints from the public, including taxi drivers, on the syndicate members activities.
“We are investigating the case under Section 26(1) of the Road Transport Act 1987 for not having valid driving licenses,” he said.
On a separate matter, Razali said the department will continue to take action against overloading lorries in the state under the ‘Ops Hippo’ operation.
“This operation will be an ongoing effort so that the issue of heavy vehicles overloading can be contained,” he said, adding that the issue of ‘tontos’ or informers that protect the lorries will also not affect the department from carrying out their duties.
Razali said this following the department detaining six lorries during a random operation last Saturday around the Petronas’ Refinery and Petrochemical Integrated Development (RAPID) project in Pengerang and the Bandar Penawar Toll Plaza, both near Kota Tinggi.
All the lorries detained were tipper trucks that carried mire than the permitted limit.
Razali said all the seized lorries will be investigated under Section 82 of the Land Public Transport Act (APAD) 2010 for overloading.
“If convicted, the owner can be fined from RM1,000 to RM500,000,” he said.
