Photo: Bernama
JOHOR BARU: A syndicate has been using physically disabled (OKU) foreigners to solicit public donations, raking in an average of RM16,000 a month.
Police investigations revealed that syndicate members travelled to China to find poor wheelchair-bound OKUs and offered them jobs as beggars.
The syndicate covered all the expenses, including passports and air tickets, to legally bring them to Malaysia.
Johor police chief Comm M. Kumar said the police learnt about the syndicate in April.
“We conducted a series of raids around Johor Baru on June 13, leading to the arrest of two local suspects, including a woman, aged between 42 and 53.
“During the raids, we rescued two physically disabled male foreigners, aged between 44 and 50,” Comm Kumar said during a press conference at the state police headquarters yesterday.
The police conducted a fourth raid on an apartment in the city on June 19 and arrested a 42-year-old local man.
“The third suspect acted as the guardian or manager of the two OKUs, while the other two suspects sent them to public places such as markets and food courts to beg for money,” he said.
The syndicate kept the two OKUs in a rented house and restricted their movement and communication with neighbours.The duo were made to beg for about six hours daily, collecting RM250 to RM300 each day.
In a month, each of them could collect at least RM8,000, which was handed over to the guardian.
The two OKUs received only RM300 each, while the transporters were paid RM10 per hour.
The two OKUs are now in a safe house, and the police have contacted their embassy to arrange for their trip back home.
Comm Kumar said the guardian was charged under Section 14 of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Smuggling of Migrants (Atipsom) Act 2007 (Act 670).
Arrest warrants have been issued for the other two suspects who failed to appear in court.
