14 BEGGARS FROM CHINA NABBED, MORE THAN US$5,000 SEIZED

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 24 (Bernama) -- A begging syndicate involving 14 Chinese
nationals, including four women, was uncovered early today when Immigration
officers raided a flat in Brickfields here.

Kuala Lumpur Immigration Department director Mohd Sufian Omar said in the
12.25am operation, the officers also seized RM16,000 (US$5,111) in cash kept in
a luggage bag, believed to have been collected from begging in the last four to
12 months.

He said those arrested, aged between 40 and 80, were believed to have
entered Malaysia between nine months and a year ago. They were nabbed following
information received from the public and Immigration's intelligence work.

"The travel documents of 10 of them have expired," he said, adding that from
the investigation, it was found that a man known as Mr Chan was behind the
syndicate but no further details were available yet.

Among the 14 Chinese nationals arrested is a man without his left arm but
Immigration is unable to determine whether he lost his arm in China or here.

"We estimate that they made RM800 (US$255) to RM1,000 (US$319) monthly from
begging in areas popular with tourists and shoppers like Petaling Street and
Central Market," Mohd Sufian said.

He said during questioning, it was felt that they could have been cheated by
their fellow countrymen with the promise of lucrative jobs in Malaysia.

"In the end, they were forced to beg when there was no other source of
income to fend for themselves," he said.

The 14 are now detained at the KL International Airport Immigration
detention depot under the Immigration Act.
-- BERNAMA


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