KLANG: The Immigration Department detained 49 foreigners following a raid on a electronics recycling plant at Port Klang here.
Its director general Datuk Ruslin Jusoh said a team from the Putrajaya Immigration Department Intelligence and Special Operations Division and Environment Department raided the plant at the Kawasan Perindustrian Selat Klang Utara at around 2.51pm on July 30.
"The raid, which was based on public complaints and intelligence gathered over the last two weeks saw our personnel detain one local woman believed to be the premise caretaker along with 49 foreigners.
"The foreigners comprised of 23 Bangladeshi men, 17 Myanmar men, one Nepalese man, one Chinese man, five Myanmar women, a Vietnamese woman, and a Chinese woman aged between 20 and 46," he said in a statement on Thursday.
He said initial investigations revealed six Bangladeshi men had abused their Temporary Work Visit Passes (PLKS) while two other Bangladeshi men overstayed.
"The remaining foreigners did not have any valid travel documents or valid passes to be in the country.
"We also seized a local council license, company documents, Malaysia Companies Commission certificate, business records, 13 passports, two mobile phones, a computer, 22 timekeeping cards, and RM2,900 cash," he said.
He added that the recycling plant processes electronics, cables and wires from foreign countries via Port Klang in order to extract copper and alluminium.
"We believe the plant was hiring foreigners and also prepared living arrangements for them within the compount. It has been operating for six months."During the raid, a number of workers scattered around the factory and tried to hide to avoid detention," he said.
Ruslin said the foreigners will be brought to the Machap Umboo Immigration Detention Depot in Melaka for further action.
"The Malaysian woman was detained for harbouring illegal immigrants under Section 56(1)(d) of the Immigration Act.
"The factory is also believed to have been committing offences under Section 18, 19 and 34A of the Environmental Quality Act for licensing violations and environmental impact offences," he said, adding that a Malaysian man and two China nationals have been issued notices to come to the Immigration Department office to assist investigations.