JOHOR BARU: Police have rescued two Chinese nationals with special needs who had been 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, believed to be behind the syndicate, on Thursday.
“Following a public tip-off, police conducted checks at a night market in Setia Indah where they found a foreigner with disabilities begging.
“One of the suspects, a local man, was also found at the night market and was arrested.
“Further investigations led police to 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 yesterday.
He said the police were then led to Taman Seri Austin, where they detained 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,” he said.
He added that the case is being investigated under Section 14 of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act 2007, which carries a penalty of life imprisonment or a minimum five years’ jail and whipping.
