JOHOR BARU: A total of 49 illegal immigrants were detained in several areas in the Johor Baru district from Aug 18 to Aug 20.
They were arrested during Ops Selera, Ops Belanja, Ops Minyak, Ops Dandan, Ops Kutip and Ops Sapu.
“The operation was conducted by us following complaints received from the public,’’ said Johor Immigration Department director Datuk Mohd Rusdi Mohd Darus in a statement.
He said those detained had committed several offences, including working without permits and not having valid documents.
Mohd Rusdi said 87 foreigners and locals were inspected during the operation.
He said the 49 foreigners detained were Indonesians (10 women and 16 men), eight men from India, six Bangladeshi men, five Pakistani men, a Filipino man, a woman and a man from Thailand and a woman from Myanmar, all aged 19 to 58.
Meanwhile, 10 illegal immigrant workers were apprehended in Batu Pahat on Aug 18 at 8am during a joint operation in the district.
“The workers were found to have been working without work permits,’’ Mohd Rusdi said they were among 49 locals and foreigners inspected in the operation.
He said the 10 workers arrested were six men and one woman from Nepal, two men from Myanmar and one Bangladeshi man aged 22 to 40.
In a similar case, Mohd Rusdi said five Indonesians were arrested and found working without permits in Mersing on Aug 20, during Ops Belanja and Ops Mahir.
“Apart from not having work permits, the five Indonesian men aged, 26 and 50, did not have valid travel documents,’’ he said.
Mohd Rusdi said the illegal immigrants had committed offences under Regulation 39(b) of the Immigration Regulations 1963, Section 6(1)(c) of the Immigration Act 1959/63 (Act 155) and Section 15(1)(c) of the Immigration Act 1959/63 (Act 155).
“We will continue to work closely with other enforcement agencies in Johor to eradicate the influx of illegal immigrants in the state,’’ he said.
