GEORGE TOWN: Police have arrested two men on suspicion of extorting a trader at a trading site at Jalan Kebun Bunga here which was set up in conjunction with the Thaipusam celebration.

Penang police chief Datuk Mohd Shuhaily Mohd Zain said the suspects, believed to be secret society gang members, were nabbed not far from the scene following a report lodged by the victim at about 4am on Feb 3.

“The victim claimed that the two suspects, in their 20s, had approached him and threatened to destroy his stall for doing business in the area.

“Preliminary investigation found that the suspects have tattoos of a secret society on their bodies,” he told reporters when met at Jalan Kebun Bunga yesterday.

Mohd Shuhaily said the two men had been remanded until Feb 7 to assist in the investigation under Section 506 of the Penal Code and Section 43 of the Societies Act 1966.

Meanwhile, Mohd Shuhaily said the police had opened four investigation papers in connection with pickpocketing cases involving four victims including a Canadian tourist who attended the Thaipusam celebration in the state.

He said the 79-year-old Canadian man claimed to have suffered losses amounting to RM6,000 to a pickpocket while watching the chariot procession at Lebuh Chulia, here Saturday.

“We also received reports from three women, aged 37 to 58, who became the victims of pickpocketing around Jalan Utama, here, during the Thaipusam celebration there,” he said, adding that the cases were being investigated under Section 379 of the Penal Code.