Perak CID chief Gan Tian Kee said the claims were made by five Thai victims, aged between 18 and 28, who were rescued in an operation here yesterday.

He said initial investigations found all victims admitted to begging in Ipoh, especially at Ramadan bazaars, to collect donations for a mosque in Narathiwat, Thailand.

“The victims were paid RM20 each if they could collect RM100 in a day, otherwise they would not be given food.

“The victims have to beg from 6.30am to 5pm on a normal day and during Ramadan, it is from 6.30am to 7pm,” he said in a statement here today.

Gan said all victims were brought into the country by a 36-year-old Thai man, who was the caretaker, and another man known as Ustaz or Pok Teh, via Padang Besar, Perlis.

They had been in Ipoh for about 11 months.

Gan said one of the victims was rescued in Gunung Rapat here at about 3.30pm.

“Police also confiscated various items from the victim’s sling bag including begging documents, a mobile phone, RM60 in cash and 200 Thai baht,” he said.

Gan said based on information provided by the victim, police went to check a Ramadan bazaar in Taman Perpaduan Tambun and saw a man seeking donations.

“The man led police to a house in Lorong Sungai Choh, Taman Tanjung Damai, Tanjung Rambutan, believed to be the living quarters of the victims and (police) rescued four Thai men in a room,” he said.

He said police also seized a Volvo car, RM924 in cash, five mobile phones, four donation collection notebooks, five passports as well as three sheets of receipts for the Nurul Huda Mosque donation.

He added that the Thai caretaker was arrested.

Gan said all victims were rescued under Section 44 of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants 2007, while the suspect was investigated under Section 12 of the same act.