High demand keeps these crooks going

Hence, Hooi sought a supplemental income to meet her RM2,100 monthly rental, keep her three children in school, and maintain a brand new Proton Saga.After much coaxing by close friends, Hooi decided to try her hand at being an illegal lottery bookie. Today, the 45-year-old lives comfortably, thanks to the easy money she derives from being a bookie, giving her a comfortable monthly income of almost RM5,000 -- tax free.Hooi's network has grown extensive by word-of-mouth. Her clients need not come to her shop to place their thrice-a-week bets -- they can do so over the phone.The mother of three is one of many recruited by betting syndicates to operate illegal lottery draws. The syndicates, with their much-touted networks, operate in several states and pay good commissions to people like Hooi, as the income netted from their underground operation is lucrative.Law enforcement officials have begun cracking down on these illegal gambling syndicates, busting several counting centres in Kulim, Bukit Mertajam, Nibong Tebal and Butterworth. Police estimate that the masterminds of the syndicates and their henchmen collected more than RM100 million over the last two years. They can rake in RM200,000 worth of bets for each draw.Although Penang's overall crime rate has declined for the first time in more than 10 years, according to Penang police chief Datuk Wira Ayub Yaakub, organised crime continues to flourish in the underclass and commercial areas of the stateProstitution is widespread in hair salons, karaoke lounges and health centres, whether by night or in broad daylight, with sex workers from China, Thailand and Indonesia.The income derived by these women can be enticing. Each can earn as much as RM1,800 per day if they entertain 20 customers, while the operators pocket RM70 for every customer served for a RM160 "short-game" session.Piracy is also rampant. Just last Thursday, police destroyed more than RM2.16 million worth of pirated CDs, VCDs and DVDs confiscated in raids conducted from 2001 to May this year.Ayub said the 244,323 destroyed discs were from cases investigated, tried and settled in court. Of the total, 58,009 were pornographic VCDs and DVDs, which could fetch up to RM18 each in the market.He said there were still 334,786 pirated discs from 401 cases in 2007, and 284,911 from 344 cases last year yet to be destroyed."Until this month, we have arrested and charged 187 and confiscated 260,012 discs," he said, assuring that the police would continue efforts to end the distribution and sale of such pirated goods. "The demand for pirated discs is high, making it a lucrative business for illegal distributors."The police operate on the premise that distributors belong to syndicates with their own channels, and are linked to criminal triads. "It is hard to identify those behind the syndicates and how they are using the money made from sales of the pirated discs," Ayub said."We hope continuous awareness campaigns and effective enforcement will cripple their activities and eventually put a stop to this culture of buying fake products." The police also recently crippled a car-theft syndicate that was stealing locally-made cars and selling them for a song in remote areas of the northern states. Stolen Proton Perdana, Proton Waja and Perodua Kancil have been disposed of for as little as RM1,000 to RM3,000 -- prices ensuring a ready demand.Ayub acknowledges, too, that Penang remains one of the main gateways for narcotics, judging from the recent seizure of about RM1 million worth of ganja at a holding area for repossessed cars in Butterworth.

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