CAMERON HIGHLANDS: Clad in plainclothes, immigration officers went around six towns here and detained 181 illegal immigrants trading illegally by the roadside in the area.
During the noon operation yesterday, the enforcement officers caught several people, including tourists by surprise, as they rounded up the foreign workers in the towns.
Ringlet, which was inundated by floods last Wednesday, was one of the towns. The others are Tanah Rata, Brinchang, Kuala Terla, Kampung Raja and Tringkap.
Immigration deputy director-general Datuk Sakib Kusmi said the operation focused on foreign workers who were without work permits or documents.
“Our officers checked 581 foreigners,” he said. “Most of their employers were not around during the operation.”
“This is an ongoing operation being carried out nationwide,” he told reporters.
Sakib said 369 officers from Pahang and other states took part in Ops Gempak dan Mesra.
“Those nabbed in Ringlet will be taken to the immigration departments in Malacca and Negri Sembilan.
“Those operating illegally in Tanah Rata will be taken to Putrajaya while those from Tringkap will be sent to Penang, Kedah and Perlis,” he said.
Sakib added that the department would launch another crackdown soon which would involve other agencies.
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