Special Task Force On Organised Crime


Special Task Force On Organised Crime are the specialized operation armed response units of the Royal Malaysia Police.
The comparable units of the RMP are the Pasukan Gerakan Khas and UNGERIN. The unit, along with STING and STAGG were disbanded as part of the reforms after the recent 2018 Malaysian General Election. Reports shows however, the unit members from all 3 task force were merged into a single department, Organized Crime Investigation Department, D14.

Organization

The organization of special police forces was formed following the Home Ministry's meeting with the RMP on August 22, 2013 and formed on January 1, 2014 to meet the challenges of a more sophisticated and violent trend in organised crime. The best in criminal investigation will be in the frontline as police take a major step to fight organised crime. 400 officers, led by a Senior Assistant Commissioner Dato' Razarudin Bin Hussain, will be equally divided and placed with the Criminal Investigations Department and the Narcotics Crimes Investigations Department. They operate on the concept of "Intelligence Led Policing and Aggressive Action on Organised Crime". They will focus on serious crimes including illegal syndicates, gangsterism, gambling, vice, human trafficking, prostitution and drug gangs. STAFOC will operate directly from Bukit Aman, but will be deployed throughout the country to be part of raids and tactical operations.
More than 20 of the force comprised experienced officers, many of whom have been involved in special missions such as the invasion of Lahad Datu in February 2013. The Lahad Datu incident saw 200 special tactical officers sent to Sabah, leaving many states without such expertise.

Training

Any police officer handpicked from various departments is eligible to apply for service for STAFOC unit. They undergo training with the elite 69 Commandos and urban counter-terrorist division Unit Tindak Khas.

Missions

Special Tactics and Intelligence Narcotics Group are specialized to fight against organized drug lords as well as local and international drug smuggling syndicates. Formed January 30, 2014 and led by SAC Dato' Roslan Bin Wahid, an elite forces is made up of about 200 highly trained personnels, and to date 60 of the best anti-narcotics officers, including 10 female officers, They will target the "sharks" of the drug trades, not a "small fry".
Formed on January 30, 2014, STING has given the police a big boost in the war against drugs in the country.

Missions

Special Task Force for Anti-Vice, Gambling and Gangsterism is a specialized unit tasked to target international and local underworld groups and gambling syndicates. The group joined the Special Tactics and Intelligence Narcotics Group and Special Task Force on Organised Crime, which were formed to bust drug rings and serious crimes. Formed on December 7, 2014, the squad comprised 61 senior officers, 139 rank in files and 20 civil servants, with Deputy Commissioner Dato' Mohd Rodwan Bin Mohd Yusof as its commander.
In 2018, 21 gambling syndicate operators have been detained under Prevention of Crime Act, and 34 operators in 2017 as part of Bukit Aman crackdown. Bukit Aman's Secret Societies, Gambling, and Vice Division alongside Special Task Force for Anti-Vice, Gambling and Gangsterism conducted over 18,541 raids and seized 90,139 gambling machines nationwide in 2017. Bukit Aman CID chief, Datuk Seri Wan Ahmad Najmuddin added that police is facing an uphill battle with the advent of online gambling. He also mentioned some operators have a switch at their outlet that can convert gambling machines into normal computers in the event of a raid.
It is learnt that some illegal gambling machine center caretakers or personnels are given compensation by their bosses for getting detained. "The caretaker and his family will be taken care of during his incarceration", said a source.

Missions

Uniforms

STAFOC/STING/STAGG members always operate in standard black or blue tactical uniforms worn by the other counter-terrorism forces. Fire retardant balaclavas are often used to protect their faces as well as protect their identities. Both units commonly use the standard American PASGT helmets or Marine Ops-Core helmets. These tactical vests are labelled with "POLIS", or RMP insignia, to allow for easy identification.

Weapons

The basic gear for every STAFOC/STING/STAGG officer is a standard sidearm and a submachine gun. STAFOC/STING/STAGG also uses other weaponry including rifles, sniper rifles, and even machine guns, depending on the situation.
Unlike in other police institutions, members are not bound to normal procurement policies and can order the equipment they feel the best for their mission.
The following are the common weapons used by STAFOC/STING/STAGG:

Murder of Kevin Morais

,, was a Deputy Public Prosecutor for the Attorney General's Chambers of Malaysia and Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission. At first, he is filed as a missing person by his younger brother. STAFOC is directly involved in the investigation. Under STAFOC interrogations, the sixth accused revealed the locations of the body of Kevin Morais. The case is still in court as in February 2018.

Assassination of Kim Jong-nam

was the eldest son of North Korean former general secretary Kim Jong-il and half-brother of the North Korean chairman, Kim Jong-un. He was assassinated in Kuala Lumpur International Airport 2 while travelling from Macau by two assailants using VX nerve agent. Because of this is a high-profile case, STAFOC was tasked as a security forces.

Ops Cantas Khas

Ops Cantas Khas is an operation by the Royal Malaysia Police to hunt down 'big fish' in organised crime syndicate and gangsterism in Malaysia. The operation caught Malaysian eyes after it is revealed about involvement of five high status citizen in the organised crime syndicate and gangsterism. The operation is spearheaded by STAGG.

Dissolution

With the defeat of the Barisan Nasional party in the 2018 General Election, under the new Pakatan Harapan government, the Royal Malaysia Police is reformed. On 11 June 2018, among leaked information from an unnamed sources is the dissolution of three police tactical unit which is STING, STAGG and STAFOC. The reason of the dissolution is not stated, however it is rumored that this young special units are involved in corruptions and protecting the criminals. This rumor is later denied by the Home Affairs Minister, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.
On 26 June 2018, the dissolution is confirmed by the Home Affairs Minister and the Inspector General of Police, Tan Sri Mohamad Fuzi Harun. However, the Home Affairs Minister gives two weeks to the RMP to come up with any proposals regarding the units or the dissolution before the decision of the dissolution is finalised.