KUALA LUMPUR: Ninety undocumented foreigners were detained following an immigration raid on Old Klang Road.
Immigration Department director-general Datuk Zakaria Shaaban said the raid was conducted at about 9.40pm on Monday (Dec 15), targeting an area believed to be a gathering spot for undocumented foreigners and was carried out following public complaints and two weeks of intelligence gathering by the department’s enforcement division.
"During the operation, officers inspected 131 individuals comprising 82 foreign men, 34 foreign women and 15 Malaysians.
"Of those screened, 90 foreign nationals aged between 21 and 35 were detained for offences including overstaying and failing to produce valid travel documents.
"Those detained included nationals from Nigeria, Yemen, Syria, Somalia, Guinea-Bissau, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Mali, Indonesia, Myanmar, Bangladesh, Vietnam, Thailand, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and India," he said in a statement on Tuesday (Dec 16).
Those detained were held under Sections 6(1)(c) and 15(1)(c) of the Immigration Act 1959/63 as well as Regulation 39(b) of the Immigration Regulations 1963.
"A summons was also issued to the owner of a restaurant located in the area to assist with investigations," he added.
Zakaria said investigations revealed that some of the foreign nationals allegedly used expired passes as a cover while engaging in small-scale business activities in open areas such as parking lots and around eateries, which later became venues for social activities until late at night.
"All those detained were taken to the KLIA Immigration Detention Depot for further investigation and action," he said.
He said the department will not compromise in taking action against foreigners who enter or remain in the country illegally, overstay or abuse their passes, adding that firm action would also be taken against employers or individuals who harbour undocumented migrants.
"A total of 99 officers of various ranks were deployed to the location, which authorities said had caused unease among nearby residents due to disturbances allegedly linked to foreign nationals frequenting the area," he added.
