Foreign beggars at the Ramadan bazaar earn RM500 a day
MELAKA - The police have finally caught a foreign beggars' syndicate, earning around RM500 per day in the state's Ramadan bazaar, on Tuesday.
In the operation conducted at 7.30pm, the police arrested a 35-year-old local man believed to be the syndicate's mastermind and three Thai beggars aged between 33 to 46 years old.
Melaka police chief Datuk Zainol Samah said he received complaints on increasing begging activities, especially in Ramadan bazaars, shopping malls and supermarkets.
In response to the complaints, the police had conducted a joint operation with the Social Welfare Department (JKM) and local authorities (PBT) to put an end to the begging activities.
"We have detained four individuals including three foreign men for begging activities.
"They gave the excuse that the donation money that was collected will be used for construction of a religious school in Southern Thailand," he said in a statement here, today.
He added that the police had also confiscated documents used to deceive the public and cash amounting to RM736.
He said the preliminary investigation found that a local suspect from Kuantan, Pahang had taken the three foreigners to Melaka and also arranged their accomodation at a hotel in Jalan Tun Perak here.
He said they also earned a daily collection of between RM400 to RM500 by targetting Ramadan bazaar sites for begging activities.
"From results of the interrogation, the main suspect claims that he is a school canteen operator in Kuantan," he added.
The investigation was conducted under Section 12 of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act 2007 which carries a penalty of up to 15 years in prison and a fine, if convicted.
