Malaysian police rescue 17 Jordanian children from lucrative KL begging syndicate

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 20 — Police have dismantled a suspected foreign child trafficking syndicate that allegedly forced 17 Jordanian minors into begging across the city’s busiest tourist and commercial districts.

The coordinated crackdown, dubbed Op Pintas Kasih, resulted in the rescue of eight boys and nine girls aged between three months and 14 years. The operation, launched on Aug 19, targeted a lucrative network operating primarily along the five-foot ways of Bukit Bintang and Chow Kit.

Officers from Bukit Aman’s Criminal Investigation Department (CID) — specifically the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Division (D3), alongside the D6 and D7 units — conducted 13 simultaneous raids. Seven of these took place on public walkways while six targeted residential premises used by the group.

The exploitation was highly profitable. Initial investigations revealed that the syndicate generated between RM500 and RM1,000 in daily proceeds by using children to solicit money from the public. Police believe the group is part of an organised syndicate masterminded by Jordanian nationals who entered Malaysia legally on 90-day social visit passes.

Fifteen adults were apprehended during the raids, comprising seven men and eight women aged between 21 and 49. While the suspects are believed to be Jordanian nationals, five failed to produce valid travel documents. Authorities are currently investigating possible family ties between the victims and their alleged captors.

During the sweep, police seized 32 Jordanian passports, 14 mobile phones, four strollers used in the begging operations, and a hoard of cash in multiple currencies totalling over RM25,000.

The suspects are being investigated under a battery of laws, including Section 14 of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act 2007, which carries a penalty of life imprisonment. Other charges include violations of the Child Act 2001 for allowing children to beg, and multiple breaches of the Immigration Act for illegal entry and misuse of social visit passes.

Federal CID Director CP Datuk M. Kumar reaffirmed the department’s commitment to eradicating such networks.

“PDRM maintains zero tolerance towards any party exploiting children and vulnerable groups for profit,” he said.

He added that proactive, intelligence-led enforcement would be intensified to dismantle trafficking networks at their root. The public is urged to report any suspicious activities in their local areas to help safeguard the welfare of the community.