PETALING JAYA: The Johor Immigration Department recently detained several foreigners begging in a night market for the past three months.
The department managed to arrest four foreign individuals during the Ops Kutip and Ops Jaja between 6.20pm until 7.30pm on Sunday (October 28) at a night market in Taman Nusa Perintis, Gelang Patah.
One of the suspects arrested had an amputated right leg while the others claimed they were raising funds for a tahfiz school or religious institute to gain sympathy.
The Immigration Department found that the beggars had made up to RM12,000 a month or RM400 a day.
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“A strategic location and Malaysians’ easily sympathetic nature made this a lucrative gig for the beggars.
“Their arrests proved they have misused their social visit pass,” the Johor Immigration Department said in a statement, adding that the the operations were conducted after receiving complaints from the public.
Johor Immigration officers arrested two men from Thailand, a Cambodian man and a man from Pakistan, all aged between 22 and 65.
The Pakistan national was detained by Immigration officers following a raid conducted in the surrounding stalls.
These individuals have violated Section 6(1)(c) of the Immigration Act 1959/63 (Act 155) for not carrying a valid permit or pass while in Malaysia.
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