PUTRAJAYA, Jan 18 — The Immigration Department detained 76 illegal immigrants during an early morning operation at foreign worker settlements in Shah Alam and Kajang yesterday.
Immigration director-general Datuk Zakaria Shaaban said the operation was conducted following public complaints about illegal immigrants allegedly living in the area without valid passes or identification documents.
“A total of 374 foreign nationals were inspected, and 76 individuals aged between 20 and 55 were detained for various offences under the Immigration Act 1959/63 and Passports Act 1966, including lack of identification documents and overstaying,” he said in a statement today.
Zakaria said the detainees, who are citizens of Bangladesh, Nepal, Myanmar, Indonesia, Pakistan, and India, were sent to the Pekan Nenas Immigration Depot in Johor for further investigation and action.
The operation involved 113 personnel from the Enforcement Division, the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Smuggling of Migrants (ATIPSOM) and Anti-Money Laundering units, the Intelligence and Special Operations Division, and the Detention and Depot Management Division of the Immigration Putrajaya headquarters.
He added that the department will continue to take stern action against anyone found violating the Immigration Act 1959/63, Passports Act 1966, Immigration Regulations 1963 and the ATIPSOM Act 2007.
— Bernama
