MORE PICS – MAFIA-STYLE KILLING OF DRUG PEDDLER in PENANG MALAYSIA. Shot 3 Times in Head in Car Which Accelerated And Rammed Into House

Three shots, then c-r-a-s-h ;BY BERNARD SEE; STAR, PENANG: Three gun shots and a crashing sound of a car that had rammed into a double-storey terraced house, shattered the afternoon calm of a suburban middle-class housing area here. Slumped across the steering wheel of the Nissan Sentra in front of the house in Changkat Tembaga at 2.30pm yesterday was Lau Khoon Beng, (BELOW) with bullet holes in his head.

He had been shot thrice at close range. Had spent time at the Simpang Renggam rehabilitation centre. The 34-year-old driver had been arrested at various times for drug offences and was believed to be a victim of a Mafia-style killing. He was believed to have earlier stopped his car by the side of the road to talk to someone known to him. Forensic pathologist Datuk Dr Bhupinder Singh said, based on the evidence found at the scene, the victim died on the spot. After Lau was shot, his body slumped across the steering wheel and his foot pressed on the fuel pedal, causing the car to accelerate suddenly and ram into the house.

ABOVE & BELOW: A Car when highly accelerated will move at high speed and when blocked would "climb" up ny obstacle befaore stalling when the clutch is released.

The impact of the crash was so great that both the car’s airbags were activated. A tenant of the house briefly came out and ordered an Indonesian maid outside to quickly get back indoors. The police later called a tow truck to remove the car. Residents interviewed said they at first thought that the car driver was an accident victim – until they saw the bullet holes on the side of his head.

ABOVE: Camermen comparing and reviewing their shots and (BELOW) the usual crowd and policemen at a crime scene

George Town OCPD Asst Comm Azam Abd Hamid told reporters here that a police team from the Jelutong station who rushed to the scene found Lau already dead. The case has been classified as murder. “Police found five packets of syabu (methamphetamine crystals) in the glove compartment,” he said. Dr Bhupinder scouring for evidence in the area outside Lau’s crashed Nissan Sentra at Changkat Tembaga. Lau died after being shot thrice in the head.

“We also found two 9mm calibre spent shells and a false number plate in the car.(ABOVE)
“Our checks showed that the vehicle was registered to the victim. We believe that the ‘hit’ was drug related.” He said Lau had spent time at the Simpang Renggam rehabilitation centre in Johor in 1994 and 1996 under the Special Preventive Laws for drug trafficking. He said police checked out the Rifle Range address stated on his identity card, but were told that no such person lived there. Those with information can call him at 012-6802000 or the investigating officer at 04-2292222 ext 1845.

ABOVE & BELOW: The blood stained body being carted away for a post-mortem at the hospital to ascertain the cause of death

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Ex-detainee killed gangland style; 13 Dec 2006; Adie Suri Zulkefli, from NST

GEORGE TOWN: A former Simpang Renggam detainee was gunned down gangland style here yesterday over an apparent mess-up in a drug deal. Lau Khoon Beng, 34, was found slumped behind the wheel of his car at Changkat Tembaga after being shot by a lone gunman at point-blank range at 2.30pm. It is learnt that the assailant had fired at least three shots from close range, two of which struck Lau’s right temple and neck.

Police did not rule out the possibility that the deceased had tried to speed off after being shot at but ended up crashing into the concrete fence of a house, about 35 metres away from where he was shot. Police later found two 9mm bullet shells in his car and two red envelopes containing five small packets of syabu in the glove compartment. They also found a set of forged registration plates inside the car. They are checking if Lau had used the registration plates while delivering dadah to his clients. Police are also investigating the possibility of Lau waiting for his potential client to turn up only to be shot dead by his assailant. North-east district police chief Assistant Commissioner Azam Abdul Hamid said Lau was detained at Simpang Renggam for dadah-related offences in 1994. He was released in 1996 but was arrested again a few months later and then sent to the detention centre for committing the same offence. "We believe he was killed over a dadah deal but we are also looking at other possibilities," he said. Azam urged those with information related to the case to contact Assistant Superintendent Ibrahim Ahmad at 04-2292222. The New Straits Times learnt that Lau had ventured into money-lending activities several years ago as a front for his dadah-related business. However, Lau was believed to have angered one of his clients for failing to supply the stuff up to his client’s expectations.

His wife, who declined to be named, confirmed that Lau was involved in money-lending activities but refused to say anything when asked on his involvement with drugs. "All I know is that he was doing money-lending business," she said when met at the Penang Hospital mortuary.