JOHOR BARU: A group posing as beggars at a night market in Taman Nusa Perintis, Gelang Patah, managed to collect up to RM12,000 a month.
However, Immigration officers thwarted their scheme during a raid.
Johor Immigration Department director Datuk Mohd Rusdi Mohd Darus said the suspects, four men from Cambodia and Thailand, were among over 60 foreigners arrested in four separate operations conducted between Oct 28 and 29 in Johor Baru and Batu Pahat.
“In one of the operations, we arrested four men at a night market in Gelang Patah.
“The suspects, which include a man with an amputated leg, are believed to have been gaining sympathy by pretending to collect money for tahfiz and other religious institutions.
“Their strategic location and Malaysian generosity had enabled them to make up to RM400 a day or RM12,000 a month,” he said in a statement.
The suspects are believed to have been conducting the activity for the last three months.
Scheme unmasked: Immigration officers cracking down on foreigners posing as beggars. The syndicate members, which included a man with an amputated leg, were arrested at a night market in Gelang Patah. — Photo courtesy of Johor Immigration Dept
“In the same operation, we also inspected stalls at the night market and arrested a Pakistani man for not having a valid pass or permit to be in Malaysia.”
Mohd Rusdi added that the department had also arrested 51 foreigners for various immigration offences in two other operations around Johor Baru.
“We have also conducted a joint operation with Iskandar Puteri City Council and Johor Health Department around the Iskandar Puteri area, where seven business premises were inspected.
“A total of 72 people were checked and 33 were arrested for immigration offences,” Mohd Rusdi said.
He added that the 18 other foreign workers were arrested following checks on two factories around Taman Mewah here.
Meanwhile, in Batu Pahat, Mohd Rusdi said the department arrested 10 foreigners and two local business owners in another operation involving 12 premises.
“The operation was conducted following complaints about foreigners working illegally.
“We checked 38 people and arrested 10 foreigners for overstaying and being in Malaysia without valid travel documents.
“Two locals were also arrested for protecting illegal immigrants,” he said, adding that the duo are being investigated under Section 56(1)(d) of the Immigration Act 1959/63 for the offence.
According to Mohd Rusdi the foreigners arrested in the four operations, who were between 21 and 56 years old, were from Myanmar, Indonesia, Vietnam, Cambodia and Pakistan.
They are being investigated under Section 6(1)(c) of Act for not having a valid pass or permit to be in Malaysia, Section 15(1)(c) of the same Act for overstaying and Rule 11(7)(a) of the Immigration Regulations 1963 for violating social visit pass requirements.
