Malaysian Immigration authority on Thursday night arrested a total of 75 undocumented Bangladeshi workers during separate drives for various immigration-related offenses, said Malaysian media reports.
Melaka Immigration Department director Anirwan Fauzee Mohd Aini said during the three-hour operation that started at 12 midnight, those detained comprised 75 from Bangladesh, four from Myanmar, eight men and two women from Indonesia and one Pakistan national, aged between 25 and 40.
He also said the enforcement operation was carried out following complaints from members of the public that the construction site in Taman Kota Laksamana in Malaysia was flooded with foreigners, mostly undocumented migrants.
“Overall we screened 117 foreigners and found 90 without proper documentation, expired work permit, overstaying and several other offences.
“During the operation, some of the illegal immigrants had jumped into a five-metre deep monsoon drain to avoid being arrested. Some were apprehended while some managed to escape because the area was very dark and the site was dangerous,” he said in a statement on Friday.
A summons was handed to a security guard who was on duty at the construction site while investigations are being carried out to identify the company or person who employed the undocumented migrants, he added.
“The Melaka Immigration Department will continue to carry out enforcement operations at hot spots where illegal immigrants have been spotted,” he said.
Anirwan said stern action would be taken against employers or companies that employ undocumented migrants to work in their premises or factories without work permits, valid travel documents or those who try to harbour undocumented migrants at their premises.
