KOTA BARU: The Immigration Department detained 114 illegal immigrants for various offences in an operation in Kuala Krai today.
Immigration Department enforcement division director Basri Othman said the raid was conducted at a metal factory in Stapanol industrial area near Batu Jong.
He said the immigrants, including 16 women, were from China, Bangladesh, Thailand, Pakistan, Myanmar and Indonesia.
He said they were detained for entering Malaysia without any document, overstaying and misusing social visit passes.
Basri said 69 department personnel were involved in the operation codenamed Op Mahir.
"The Putrajaya Immigration Department assisted by the state Immigration Department raided the factory after a two-week intelligence and receiving public complaints.
"In the 9.10am raid, we inspected 123 immigrants and 114 of them were found to have committed three offences under the Immigration Act 1959/63," he told a Press conference here today.
Basri said initial investigations showed the foreigners, aged between 24 and 50, have been working at the factory since early this year.
"Some of them live in the area while the rest have rented houses outside the factory.
"They will be sent to the department's detention centre in Tanah Merah soon," he added.
He said the department would soon call their employer, in his 50s, to have his statement recorded.