KUALA LUMPUR: A nationwide immigration crackdown has led to the detention of 503 foreign nationals suspected of various immigration offences, with authorities also identifying more than 200 "hotspots" across the country.
Immigration director-general Datuk Zakaria Shaaban said the operation, codenamed Ops Mega, which began on Sunday (July 12), involved 876 enforcement personnel from the Immigration Department, the National Registration Department (NRD), the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry (KPDN), local authorities and the police.
"A total of 2,260 individuals, comprising foreign nationals and employers, were inspected during the operation.
"Of those screened, 503 foreign nationals – 408 men and 95 women – were detained for suspected offences under the Immigration Act," he told reporters after an operation in Jalan Kenanga here on Monday (July 13).
Zakaria said those detained comprised 290 Bangladeshis, 101 Myanmar nationals, 66 Indonesians, 38 Nepalese, 36 Indians and 10 others of various nationalities.
He added that Form 29 notices were issued to 120 individuals to assist investigations as witnesses.
"All detainees will be placed at Immigration detention depots nationwide pending further investigation and action.
"Among the offences detected were staying in the country without valid travel documents, overstaying, breaching the conditions of their passes and possessing unrecognised identification cards," he added.
Zakaria said the most common offences involved overstaying and abusing the conditions of work passes.
"There were cases where individuals holding passes to work in the construction sector were instead employed at textile or clothing shops," he said.
He added that several holders of cards issued by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) were also detained for further checks to verify the authenticity of their documents.
Zakaria said the department would continue stepping up enforcement operations nationwide, focusing on locations identified as foreign national hotspots.
He revealed that more than 200 such hotspots had been identified across the country, with at least 100 located in the Klang Valley.
"Jalan Kenanga is one of those hotspots.
"We will not compromise or allow undocumented migrants to remain and operate freely in the country," he said.
