JOHOR BARU: The Johor Immigration Department arrested 26 foreigners for various offences yesterday during an enforcement operation in a commercial area known as 'Little Dhaka' in Taman Tampoi Indah here.
State Immigration director Datuk Mohd Rusdi Mohd Darus said the action unit from the department's enforcement division carried out Op Belanja, Op Selera, Op Kutip, and Op Dandan at about 11am.
He said those detained comprised 16 Indian men, five Sri Lankan men, two Indonesian men and women, and one Bangladeshi man, aged between 21 and 55 years.
"They are suspected of committing offences under Section 6(1)(c) and Section 15(1)(c) of the Immigration Act 1959/63 (Act 155), Rule 11(7)(a) and Rule 17(b) of the Immigration Regulations 1963. They were sent to the Setia Tropika Immigration Depot for investigation and further action," he said.
Meanwhile, Mohd Rusdi, in a separate statement, said his department also arrested 17 Indonesian men and two Bangladeshi men in Op Sapu at ten rental houses around Batu Pahat on Monday and Tuesday.
He said the action was taken following public complaints regarding many foreigners living in the neighbourhood of locals, which caused discomfort and annoyance to the locals.
"Initial investigations found that these foreigners were renting several rental houses owned by locals around Yong Peng, from RM200 to RM250 per month.
"All those arrested were aged between 22 and 52 years old and are suspected of committing offences under Section 6(1)(c) and Section 15(1)(c) of the Immigration Act 1959/63 (Act 155)," he said.
Mohd Rusdi added that the department arrested 14 Indonesians who were believed to have misused their passes in Op Bersama and Op Selera at a food court of a higher learning institution in Segamat, near here, last Wednesday.
He said the operation was due to public complaints regarding food court workers and that several vendors were found to have employed foreign workers without valid passes or permits and were doing business without a licence.
"Four Indonesian men and 10 Indonesian women aged between 18 and 49 years old suspected of committing offences under Section 15(1)(c) of the Immigration Act 1959/63 (Act 155) and Rule 39(b) of the Immigration Regulations 1963 were detained.
All detainees were sent to the Pekan Nanas Immigration Depot for further investigation and action.-- BERNAMA