KUALA LUMPUR: The Immigration Department detained a total of 4,026 illegal immigrants in 870 enforcement operations throughout the country in the first 18 days of this year, said its director-general Datuk Ruslin Jusoh.
During the same period, he said the department also inspected a total of 9,169 foreigners and deported 1,497 illegal immigrants back to their respective countries, as well as arrested 42 employers for employing illegal immigrants.
"Employers who are found to be employing illegal immigrants can be punished under the Immigration Act including the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act (ATIPSOM) 2007," he told a press conference after participating in a raid at the Baiduri Apartment, Taman Tasik Kesuma Beranang, Semenyih here last night.
On the operation, Ruslin said the location was one of the 220 illegal immigration hotspots that were on the department's radar.
In the operation at midnight, 752 foreigners were inspected and the 561 arrested immigrants were from Bangladesh (205), Myanmar (200), Nepal (65), Indonesia (43), Pakistan (38), Sri Lanka (three), two each from Cambodia, India and Sierra Leone, as well as a Cameroon national.
The illegal immigrants, aged between three months and 55, had overstayed and had no travel documents. – BERNAMA