Police have detained two additional suspects in connection with the murder of a businessman whose body was found bound and wrapped in netting in a river near Parit Raja, Batu Pahat.
Johor Deputy Police Chief Deputy Commissioner Hoo Chuan Huat said the latest arrests brought the total number of suspects detained in the case to five.
He said initial investigations suggested the motive may be linked to loan-related issues, although police were still looking into whether illegal moneylending activities were involved.
The victim’s body was discovered in Sungai Tanjung Sembrong at about 12.30pm on Aug 3 after members of the public alerted authorities.
The deceased, who had been reported missing by his wife on July 29, was later identified by his family members through his clothing and personal belongings.
Hoo said preliminary investigations found that the victim’s hands and legs had been tied with adhesive tape, while his body was wrapped and secured with netting.
He added that the victim also suffered injuries to the waist and arms.
Following the discovery, a joint operation involving the Johor and Batu Pahat Criminal Investigation Departments led to the arrest of three local men aged between 26 and 40 in Batu Pahat.
Police also seized five mobile phones during the operation, with checks showing that two of the suspects had previous criminal and drug-related records.
The case is being investigated under Section 302 of the Penal Code for murder, while the three initial suspects have been remanded for seven days until Aug 10.
Police have urged anyone with information related to the case to contact the Johor police hotline at 019-2792095 or the state headquarters operations room at 07-2212999.
