JOHOR BARU: The Immigration Department has arrested four Chinese national men for conducting begging activities near night markets and premises around the city centre here.
Johor Immigration Department director Datuk Mohd Rusdi Mohd Darus said that the arrest was made under Ops Serkap on Sept 23 and Sept 24 after conducting surveillance for three weeks.
“The arrest comprises four men, aged between 36 and 67, who have disabilities.
“Their modus operandi is to visit the night market or any other strategic location in the city to gain sympathy from the public.
“Each of them is able to earn about RM10,000 a month due to our locals' sympathetic nature,” he said in a statement here on Wednesday (Sept 25).
He added that the group is believed to have been managed by syndicates who helped them move around.
“During the raid, the suspects tried to flee the scene by getting onboard a bus heading towards Ipoh,” he said, adding that the department also managed to confiscate RM9,000 in cash.
Meanwhile, in an unrelated case, a total of 45 foreign workers were arrested by the department during an operation at 1pm on Sept 24 in Taman Daya.
“The operation involved ‘Ops Mahir’, ‘Ops Dandan’, ‘Ops Belanja’, and ‘Ops Selera’.
“It was conducted following a public tip-off regarding foreign workers who have been staying in the country without permits.
“A total of 106 foreign nationals were inspected, and 45 of them have been arrested,” he said.
He added that the arrests consist of 22 men from Bangladesh, 15 men and five women from Myanmar, a man from India, a woman from Vietnam, and another woman from Indonesia, all aged between 19 and 44.
Meanwhile, in another case, Mohd Rusdi shared that the department has arrested six men from Bangladesh and a man from Myanmar for working without a permit in the country.
“Those arrested are aged between 20 and 48 and were arrested during a joint operation under ‘Ops Bersama’.
“The operation was conducted on Sept 23 at 10am in Muar, involving the police, immigration, the Muar Municipal Council, the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry, and the Labour Department,” he said.
The case is being investigated under Section 6(1)(c) and Section 15(1)(c) of the Immigration Act of 1959/63 for entering the country without valid travel documents and overstaying.
It is also investigated under Rule 17(b) of the Immigration Regulations of 1963 for violating the requirement of their visit pass and Section 39(b) of the Immigration Regulations of 1963 for abuse of social visit passes.
