‘Tonto’ syndicates raking in big bucks

PETALING JAYA: One in ten lorries, or some 10,000 plying the roads nationwide are under the protection of “tontos” (thugs).

Road Transport Department (RTD) enforcement deputy director (operation) Muhammad Kifli Ma Hassan said the tontos were from seven syndicates operating nationwide and believed to be raking in a cool RM5 million a month from their illegal activity, the New Straits Times reported today.

They also have “cool” names to boot – Katana, Mattel, Towing, OneMalaysia, Arowana, Batman and Ferrari.

Muhammad Kifli said lorries protected by these syndicates were required to put up stickers specific to the gangs, and pay RM500 a month for the protection provided.

An estimated 200 to 500 men are employed by these syndicates – given cars, mobile phones or walkie talkies, and money for fuel and toll expenses, to tail enforcement officers planning a crackdown on illegal lorries. The majority of the “tontos” are based in the Klang Valley and Perak.

These men are not afraid to issue open threats against enforcement officers and even resort to violent means in order safeguard their business from competitors.

Last year alone, the authorities suffered losses amounting to RM300,000 after tontos damaged their assets, including torching their vehicles, said the report.

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