77 people, including 26 Bangladeshis, were arrested in Malaysia

The Malaysian Immigration Department has arrested a total of 77 people, including 26 Bangladeshis, on suspicion of being illegal immigrants in a massive raid in the Seremban and Nilai areas of the state of Negri Sembilan.

The operation was carried out from Tuesday morning to Wednesday morning.

Negri Sembilan Immigration Department (JIMNS) Director Kenneth Tan Ai Kiang stated that simultaneous raids were conducted at 13 locations in the Seremban and Nilai areas. A soap manufacturing factory in Nilai was the main target.

A total of 395 foreign nationals were searched during the operation. Of them, 77, aged between 19 and 47, were arrested for various immigration violations. Among those arrested were 71 men and six women.

The detainees include 26 Bangladeshi men, 26 Indian men, 10 Pakistani men, five Thai men and one Thai woman, three Indonesian women and one man, three Myanmar men and two women. Of the total arrests, 55 people were detained from the soap factory in Nilai, the director of the Immigration Department said.

Kenneth Tan stated that the operation was conducted following a week of intelligence surveillance based on public complaints and information received. During the operation, security forces controlled all entry and exit routes, so no one was able to escape. No untoward incident occurred.

The arrested migrants have been charged with violating the Immigration Act 1959/63, the Passport Act 1966, and the Immigration Regulations 1963, including not having a valid pass or travel document, and having expired visas. They have been sent to the Lenggeng Immigration Depot in Negri Sembilan for further investigation and legal proceedings.