JOHOR BARU: Johor’s crime index in the first seven months of the year saw a 6.9% increase over the same period last year.

Johor deputy police chief Deputy Comm Afandi Senin said a total of 3,130 cases were recorded from January until July, against 2,928 in the corresponding period last year.

“However, the situation is still under control.

“We have solved 60.61% of the cases and 46.47% of the total were charged in court, fulfilling the targeted key performance indicator,” he said during the monthly assembly at state police headquarters here on Thursday (Aug 29).

DCP Afandi said many people were still falling for online scams, as seen in the high number of commercial crime cases recorded during the same period, at 2,832.

He said the cases involved total losses of more than RM110.73mil.

“The majority were related to online scams, where the top five categories were fraudulent online shopping deals, fake investment schemes, fake moneylending offers, fake job offers, and telephone scams.

“The number of cases increased by 5.5% or 247 from the same period last year.

“Besides continuously spreading awareness on the prevention of online scams, we also urge the public to use the Semak Mule application and website to check and verify bank accounts, companies and phone numbers before making any online transactions,” he said.

He added that from June 28 to July 1, the Johor Criminal Investigation Department, in collaboration with police in Pahang, Melaka, Negri Sembilan, Selangor, Kuala Lumpur and Perak, managed to solve 24 ah long cases.

Other successes included the arrest of a suspect in a murder case in Pagoh, he said.

He noted that as of Sunday (Aug 25), the Narcotics Crime Investigation Department arrested 16,801 people for various drug offences, making Johor the police contingent with the third highest number of arrests nationwide.

Along with the arrests, 3.89 tonnes of drugs worth RM54.86mil were also seized.

DCP Afandi said the Special Branch would continue working with the Johor Islamic Religious Department to combat religious extremism, with 16 individuals arrested for following the deviant "Millah Abraham" teachings.

He added that 13 of them were men and all the arrests were made simultaneously in Pontian, Batu Pahat, Segamat and Muar.

https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2024/08/29/johor-crime-index-up-slightly-over-2023-but-under-control-says-senior-cop