KUALA LUMPUR: Immigration officers rounded up 425 undocumented migrants holed up at several units in an apartment block in Cheras here, the department said.
According to Kuala Lumpur immigration department director Syamsul Bahrin Mohshin, the raid at Cheria Heights apartments was carried out following investigations and surveillance for two weeks.
Syamsul said residents had complained about the number of foreigners in the area and that they were causing various social problems.
“In the operation carried out by 60 staff between 1am and 4am this morning, a total of 425 undocumented migrants were arrested for not possessing valid identification documents, overstaying or possessing expired temporary work permits, in addition to unrecognised card holders.
“Those arrested consist of 252 Bangladeshis, 108 Myanmars, two Filipinos, 30 Indonesians, six Cambodians, 20 Nepalese and seven Pakistanis, all of whom are between eight and 54 years old,” he said at a press conference after the operation.
According to Syamsul, those detained worked in a variety of industries including construction and cleaning.
He said that during the operation, some of those detained also acted aggressively by throwing various objects including bottles to avoid being arrested, but no injuries were reported.
Syamsul said officers also picked up Rohingya refugees with UNHCR cards and those who had valid work permits.
“For the Myanmar citizens, they had cards based on their association or ethnicity but they are not valid for use and not recognised.
“Immigration will detain those who only have these cards for identification,” he said.
He said that all those detained were taken to the Bukit Jalil immigration detention centre for further action and the case is being investigated under Section 15(1)(c) and Section 6(1)(c) of the Immigration Act 1959/63 for overstaying or not possessing valid immigration documents.