14 disabled Chinese beggars rescued in Malaysia

A disabled Chinese beggar is rescued by the police in Malaysia on Wednesday, November 9, 2016. (Photo: cctv.com)

Fourteen disabled Chinese beggars were rescued on Wednesday after Malaysian police busted a gang, arresting its leader and six drivers, cctv.com reports.

According to Malaysian police, the youngest of the rescued Chinese beggars was 21 years old and the oldest was 53. No child beggars were found during the police operation this time. None of the beggars had been beaten or ill-treated. The police said they believed they were already disabled before coming to Malaysia.

Last month, Malaysian media carried reports that transnational gangs had been maiming and disfiguring Chinese children, keeping them captive for a number of years, and then sending them to Malaysia on tourist visas to beg in holiday hot spots. Most of the money were given was taken away by gang leaders.

The Chinese embassy in Malaysia subsequently carried out investigations into the reports.

Malaysian police have confirmed that the leader of the gang was a 44-year-old man with Chinese nationality. They say that he rented hotel rooms for the beggars and arranged drivers to send them to beg in different places, usually where there were many Chinese Malaysians and Chinese visitors. All six of the drivers arrested are reportedly Chinese Malaysians.