Police rescued 17 Jordanian children suspected of being victims of human trafficking for the purpose of begging during Op Pintas Kasih in Bukit Bintang and Chow Kit yesterday.
Bukit Aman Criminal Investigation Department director M Kumar said the victims, rescued under Section 44 of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act (Atipsom) 2007 (Act 670), comprised eight boys and nine girls, aged between three months and 14 years.
He said police also arrested 15 individuals, comprising seven men and eight women believed to be Jordanian nationals aged between 21 and 49, in 13 raids carried out at five-foot ways and accommodation premises to facilitate investigations into trafficking children for exploitation.
“Preliminary investigations found that members of the group had entered Malaysia legally using Social Visit Passes, which allow them to remain in the country for 90 days.
“The group brought the children to beg around Kuala Lumpur, with daily collections estimated at between RM500 and RM1,000,” he said in a statement today.
Kumar said further investigations are underway to determine the relationship between the rescued children and the individuals arrested.
Police also seized 14 mobile phones, 32 Jordanian passports, as well as cash in various currencies amounting to RM24,445, US$100 (RM405), €100 (RM471) and 635,000 Indonesian rupiah (RM144) during the operation.
He said those arrested were taken to the Dang Wangi district police headquarters for further investigation and the case is being investigated under Section 14 of Atipsom 2007, Section 32A of the Child Act 2001, Section 6(1)(c) of the Immigration Act 1959/63 and Section 39(b) of the Immigration Regulations 1963.
- Bernama
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