PETALING JAYA — Criminal tattoos led to the arrest of 76 men as Malaysian police were able to uncover their gang affiliations during a crackdown on suspected secret society elements.

Police will recommend charges against them after they were found to have inked their bodies with gang symbols, a sign that they were affiliated to gangs.

“We know what gang emblems look like, what they represent and which gangs they are affiliated to,” Selangor deputy police chief Fuad Abdul Latif told reporters after the disposal of case exhibits at the Ara Damansara police station on Monday (Aug 22).

“The 76, aged between 20 and 50, are believed to be affiliated with different gangs judging from the tattoos they had.

“These tattoos bear signs and emblems and are deemed illegal.”

The police success came about during a 15-day Ops Cantas Khas II, beginning on Aug 6, which focused on those linked to gangsterism. A total of 137 people were arrested.

On the exhibits destroyed, Mr Fuad said they were evidence seized during raids on gambling dens in Selangor.

Police have conducted 816 raids in Petaling Jaya since the beginning of this year and seized 10,289 gaming machines worth 8.2 million ringgit (S$2.7 million) and arrested more than 540 people.

A total of 447 raids have also been conducted in Selangor since July 13, resulting in the arrest of 400 gambling operators and seizure of gaming machines worth 5.8 million ringgit. THE MALAY MAIL ONLINE