IPOH: The Immigration Department detained 62 illegal immigrants in a raid on 10 Thai restaurants around the city here last night.
Perak Immigration Department director Meor Hezbullah Meor Abd Malik said the enforcement operation in the Kinta district checked 109 foreigners, with all 62 detained immigrants being Thai nationals aged between two and 51 years.
He said that in addition to the 62 Thais, comprising 38 men, 21 women, and three children, three Malaysian employers aged between 25 and 45 were also arrested. This included two men and one woman.
"All the involved foreigners are detained at the Ipoh Immigration Depot for investigation and further action under the legal process in accordance with Section 6(1)(c) and Section 15(1)(c) of the Immigration Act 1959/63 and under Regulation 39(b) of the Immigration Regulations 1963.
"The detained Malaysian employers are being investigated under Section 56(1)(d) of the Immigration Act 1963, as they are suspected of illegally harbouring foreign nationals, which, if convicted, could result in a fine of not less than RM10,000 and not more than RM50,000 for every person harboured or imprisonment of not less than six months and not more than five years," he said in a statement today.
He added that the operation, named 'Ops Bersama', was carried out by the Enforcement Division of the Perak Immigration Department from 9.30 to 11.30pm last night, based on complaints and the results of monitoring and intelligence.
He said that the operation involved 40 Immigration officers and 43 members and officers of the General Operations Force (GOF).