SEVENTEEN Singaporeans on heavy motorbikes were caught racing illegally on the Gelang Patah highway near the Tuas Second Link this week.

According to China Press, they were taken to the Johor Baru North District police station for questioning after their detention in the wee hours of Tuesday morning.

Their 17 Singapore-registered motorbikes were also detained.

The police chief at the Johor Baru North District said seven of the detainees were released after the police gave them a verbal warning. But their motorbikes
remained in custody.

He added that the police had acted on complaints filed by members of the public.

He said the police do not allow locals or foreigners to use the Gelang Patah highway illegally as a race track.

The crackdown was the latest police effort aimed at curbing illegal racing on the 3km stretch of the six-lane highway.

Residents of a village nearby have complained often about noise from the cars zooming up and down the highway, watched by hundreds of spectators.

In July last year, 600 people, including some from Singapore, were arrested for illegal racing at the same location.

In the swoop operation, which involved 140 policemen, 10 police cars and a helicopter, 400 cars and 150 motorbikes were also impounded.