102 migrants detained in Langkawi raids

A total of 102 foreign nationals were arrested for various offences in a series of raids carried out by the Kedah Immigration Department on 90 locations in the holiday island in a two-day integrated operation from Friday to yesterday.

Kedah Immigration Department director Zuhair Jamaludin said the operations, headed by Enforcement Division chief S Ravathi with four senior officers and 13 personnel, targeted locations such as yacht clubs, private marinas, private island resorts, areas around Pantai Chenang, construction sites, rental houses, as well as business premises such as grocery stores, restaurants, food stalls, nightclubs and car wash shops.

Zuhair said more than 1,000 people were inspected, involving various nationalities, including locals, during the two-day operation.

“The detained, aged one to 48, comprised 53 Myanmar nationals, 22 Bangladeshis, 11 Indonesians, nine Filipinos, two Pakistanis, an Indian national, two Nepalese and two Thai citizens.

“They were detained under Regulation 39(b) of the Immigration Regulations 1963 for abusing social visit passes to work; Section 6(1)(c) of the Immigration Act 1959/63 for failing to produce valid travel documents or passes, as well as Section 15(1)(c) for overstaying,” he said.

Zuhair said this in a press conference at the Home Ministry Complex in Langkawi today.

He said all those detained were placed in the complex’s Immigration Department’s lock-up for further investigation before being transferred to the Immigration Depot in Sik.

“The Immigration Department will intensify the operations to weed out illegal immigrants from working without any valid documents on the island,” he said.

- Bernama