JOHOR BARU: A human trafficking syndicate cashing in on the empathy of Malaysians by recruiting disabled foreigners to peddle the streets as beggars, has been smashed by Johor police.
Their activities came to light in April this year, and several arrests were made in a series of raids on June 13 and 19.
Three Malaysians, including a woman, were arrested, while two disabled foreign men, were rescued.
Johor police chief, Commissioner M. Kumar, said the syndicate's modus operandi was to travel overseas, identify the disabled individuals, and recruit them as beggars.
The victims were brought into the country legally on tourist visas before being assigned to a transporter-cum-caretaker in various states in the country.
The foreigners were given lodging and housing.
However, they were required to get between RM250 and RM300 a day, and work six hours daily – rain or shine.
They had to pay RM800 a week to their caretaker as a fee for their passport arrangements, and RM10 daily for him to ferry them between their landed rented premises, and their "workplace".
Their daily collection was handed over to the caretaker, and they were paid RM300 a month.
The foreigners were equipped with Wi-Fi speakers, microphones, and a donation box, and would sing to tug at the heartstrings of passers-by at various locations, namely night markets, food courts, and event spaces.
Kumar said the caretaker would wait in a parked vehicle, where he would be within eyeshot of the beggars, to ensure that they did not flee.
One of the two was in a wheelchair, while the other had deformed legs, and needed crutches to move around.
"Police investigations revealed that the beggars could earn between RM2,000 and RM3,000 a week, raking up to RM8,000 a month.
"The syndicate made Malaysia and its people the prime target for its operations because of the lucrative earnings. It exploited the people's compassionate nature, since Malaysians would help those in need," he told a press conference at the state police contingent headquarters here, today.
He added that a man and a woman, aged 42 and 52, were arrested in a series of raids between 8.30pm and 10.30pm in the state's capital, on June 13.
They are believed to have been recruited as caretakers by the syndicate, responsible for ferrying the foreign beggars to several locations to peddle the streets.
Two disabled foreign men, aged 44 and 55, were also rescued.
In a follow-up operation on June 19, police raided an apartment in the city centre at 11.45pm and arrested a 42-year-old man.
He too, was allegedly a caretaker to one of the two rescued foreigners.
Police seized three mobile phones, cars, keys, a speaker, microphones, and RM1,859 during the raids.
The suspects are being investigated under Section 14 of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act 2007.
The offence is punishable with life in prison, or a five-year jail term, and whipping.
Kumar said the foreigners are now under a 21-day protection order. Their embassy has been notified.