Two Chinese nationals with disabilities rescued from begging syndicate in JB

JOHOR BARU: Police rescued two Chinese nationals with special needs who were forced to beg for a syndicate at a busy night market here.

Johor Baru South OCPD Asst Comm Raub Selamat said they were rescued following the arrest of two locals, who were members of the syndicate, on Thursday (June 13).

“Following a public tip-off, police conducted checks at a night market in the Setia Indah area where they found a foreign man with disabilities begging.

“One of the suspects, a local man, was also found in the night market and was arrested.

“Further investigations led the police to raid a house in Johor Jaya, where they found another foreigner with disabilities, who is also believed to have been used as a beggar,” he said in a statement here on Saturday (June 15).

He said that police were then led to another location in Taman Seri Austin, where they found the second suspect, a 48-year-old woman.

“The duo are suspected to have been exploiting the two special needs men from China and have been arrested for further investigation,” he said.

He said that the case is being investigated under Section 14 of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants (Atipsom) 2007, which carries the penalty of life imprisonment or a minimum of five years prison sentence and whippings.

Meanwhile, in an unrelated case, ACP Raud said that police also arrested four men, including three foreigners, on Thursday (June 13) for smuggling illicit alcohol and cigarettes.

“The suspects were arrested at separate locations around Taman Daya.

“At the first location, we found and seized 81 boxes containing alcohol of various brands and 46 cartons of cigarettes. The untaxed goods are estimated to be worth about RM35,000.

“A local and two foreigners were arrested during the raid.

“Meanwhile, in the second raid, another foreigner was arrested. Also seized were 1,083 boxes of alcohol worth about RM55,000,” he said.

He added that the two premises were used as stores and transit centres for the smuggling of illicit goods.