JOHOR BARU: A total of 73 undocumented immigrant workers were detained during an operation involving 22 business premises within the Johor Baru district.
Immigration Department director Datuk Mohd Rusdi Mohd Darus said the operation took place on Wednesday (Oct 14) from 3pm until 6.30pm.
He said the joint operation involved the Immigration Department and the Border Control and Protection Agency.
"The operation focuses on business outlets managed by illegal immigrants," he said in a statement.
Mohd Rusdi said among the outlets raided were those offering online gambling activities, betting on lottery numbers, foot and body massage services, and tom yam restaurants.
"The 73 illegal migrant workers arrested are aged between 20 and 45 years old," he said.
Mohd Rusdi said the 73 immigrants detained were eight Myanmar males, 12 Indonesian men, 11 Thai males, two Sudanese men, a Filipino man, a Pakistani man and a Bangladeshi male.
Others were a mainland Chinese man, six Myanmar women, 22 Indonesian females, six Thai women and two Vietnamese females.
"We also detained a 40-year-old man and a 50-year-old woman, both Malaysians working as the managers of the outlets," he added.
Mohd Rusdi said the illegal foreign workers 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).
"All detainees are now being placed at the Setia Tropika Immigration Depot in Johor Baru for further action," he said, adding eight notices were issued to witnesses to assist with investigation.
