Malaysian police rescue 17 Jordanian children from lucrative KL begging syndicate

Malaysian police have dismantled a suspected child trafficking syndicate that forced 17 Jordanian minors into begging across Kuala Lumpur's busiest tourist and commercial districts. The operation, named Op Pintas Kasih, resulted in the rescue of eight boys and nine girls aged between three months and 14 years. Police conducted 13 simultaneous raids, targeting both public walkways and residential premises used by the group.

The syndicate, believed to be masterminded by Jordanian nationals, generated between RM500 and RM1,000 daily by having children solicit money from the public. Fifteen adults, comprising seven men and eight women aged between 21 and 49, were apprehended, with five failing to produce valid travel documents. The suspects are currently being investigated under various laws, including the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act 2007, which carries a penalty of life imprisonment.

Brief written by urgent.news from Malay Mail's own syndicated text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.