JOHOR BARU: The State Immigration Department has arrested seven foreign beggars, some of whom rake in up to RM10,000 a month, in an operation at the Gelang Patah night market here yesterday.
During the joint operation with the Johor Baru district Social Welfare Department, called 'Ops Bersama', the enforcement officers detained six men and a woman aged 34 and 63 years.
The foreigners — an Indonesian man and woman, three Cambodian men with disabilities and two Thai-nationals — had used various methods to gain the sympathy of donors.
They claimed the donations would be channelled towards charity, and to build tahfiz schools.
Residents around the night market had complained about the influx of foreign beggars, prompting the 6.30pm raid.
The Thai nationals and Cambodians were detained at the pasar malam.
The Indonesians were apprehended after the officers checked a stall operating in the market and the couple were unable to produce valid documentation for residing in the country.
Johor Immigration Department director Baharuddin Tahir said the detainees had violated Section 6(1)(c) of the Immigration Act 1959/63 for not having any valid permits to be in Malaysia, and Regulation 39(b) of the Immigration Regulations 1963 for breaching the conditions of their passes.