State immigration deputy director (management) Nik Akhtarulhaq Nik Abdul Rahman said the operation, which started at 10am, also involved the cooperation of the police, the national registration department and the Kota Bharu Municipal Council.

He said the majority of those detained were from Myanmar, with 122 people – 115 men, three women and four children.

The others were from Bangladesh (76), Indonesia (15), Nepal (13), Thailand (six), Pakistan (three) and India (three).

“All those detained are believed to have committed various offences under the Immigration Act 1959/1963,” he said in a statement.

In Kuala Terengganu, 30 immigrants from Bangladesh were detained for various offences, including overstaying, having no valid identification documents, and violating the rules of their visit passes.

Terengganu immigration department director Azhar Abdul Hamid said they were part of 220 people from Bangladesh, Nepal, Myanmar, Pakistan, Indonesia, India and Cambodia, checked under “Op Tapis”, carried out at the Kuala Terengganu City Council bus terminal.

“Some travelled as far as 70km by bus from Jambu Bongkok to Kuala Terengganu to buy necessities and take advantage of the holidays to go sightseeing.

“When detained, some were carrying television sets, fans and raw food such as meat and fish” he told reporters after the operation.

He said the department had received complaints from the public, who were uncomfortable with the presence of the large number of foreigners, especially on weekends.

“However, most of those inspected had valid documents or permits,” he said.