PUTRAJAYA, March 20 — A total of 48 illegal immigrants, aged 16 to 78, have been arrested by the Immigration Department in a raid on a recycling factory in Klang yesterday.
Immigration director-general Datuk Ruslin Jusoh said that the factory director, a local man in his 50s was also arrested and RM688,000 in cash, four mobile phones, eight passports, along with company documents, records and licences were seized during the raid.
“The foreigners detained were found to have committed two offenses, being in the country without valid travel passes and work permits, while the owner of the company, a Chinese national, had employed illegal immigrants unlawfully under Section 55(b) of the Immigration Act,” he said at a media conference here today.
He added that the large amount of cash found during the raid was said to be because the company was in the process of paying the workers’ salaries, but the information would be verified during the course of the investigation.
“Based on initial investigations, we found the company is paying the workers between RM2,000 and RM3,000 a month, with accommodation in the factory, which has been in operation for two years,” he said, adding that those detained will be investigated under the Immigration Act 1959/63, the Passport Act 1966, the Immigration Regulations 1964 and the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act 2007.
All detainees have been sent to the Bukit Jalil Immigration Depot for further action, while two local men working at the factory have been issued notices to show up at the Immigration headquarters to provide their statements.
— Bernama
