Security officers at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport have arrested at least seven beggars who hail from China over the past two months, for begging for money from Chinese people at the airport’s terminal.

“The beggars were arrested by the security officers at different times and places at the airport,” airport executive general manager Haryanto said at his office Thursday..

He said three of the Chinese beggars were netted in April and four others were detained last month. All of them had been spotted begging for money from Chinese people at Terminal II, which is for international departures and arrivals.

“In their operation, the beggars pretend to have run out of money to buy plane tickets to return to China and they all speak Mandarin,” he said.

However, Haryanto did not mention the identities of the beggars on the grounds of investigation secrecy.

“We believe that the number of foreign beggars operating at the airport might be more than seven,” he said, adding that the beggars had been handed over to Immigration officers at the airport for questioning.-from the jakarta post