KULAI: The Immigration Department detained 123 foreigners believed to be working at a plastic factory without valid documents.
Johor Immigration director Datuk Mohd Rusdi Mohd Darus said the operation was at a factory in the Senai industrial area at 7pm on Friday (Nov 14).
“The situation became chaotic when several workers attempted to flee and hide in concealed locations within the factory,” he said.
Mohd Rusdi added swift action by enforcement officers sealed all exits and prevented their escape.
“The raid followed weeks of surveillance and public complaints about employers hiring undocumented workers to avoid higher labour costs,” he said on Sunday (Nov 16).
He said the foreigners are aged between 20 and 48 and were detained for various immigration offences, including not possessing valid passes, working without permission and failing to produce legal documents.
“Those detained included 45 Bangladeshi men, 23 Myanmar men, three Indian men and one Nepalese man,” he said.
He added that 48 Myanmar women, one Nepalese woman and one Indian woman were also detained.
“The factory’s human resources officer, a local, was also arrested,” he said.
Mohd Rusdi said all detainees are held at the Setia Tropika Immigration Depot.
He said they are investigated under the Immigration Act 1959/63 and the Immigration Regulations 1963.
