KUALA LUMPUR: The Immigration Department detained 196 illegal immigrants during a large-scale raid on an area known as ‘Little Pakistan’ along Jalan Sultan Azlan Shah last night.
Director Wan Mohammed Saupee Wan Yusoff stated that the operation inspected 45 business premises along a one-kilometre stretch from 9 pm to 11.30 pm.
A total of 400 individuals were screened, leading to the arrest of 184 men and 12 women from eight different nationalities.
Those detained comprised 150 Pakistanis, 21 Bangladeshis, 10 Indians, six Indonesians, four Nepalese, two Jordanians, two Filipinos, and one Sri Lankan aged between 12 and 60.
Wan Mohammed Saupee confirmed the detainees were held for not possessing valid travel documents and for overstaying in Malaysia.
“Most of them were employed at restaurants around the hotspot offering various Pakistani dishes, and checks found some had violated immigration regulations,” he said.
The department also detained three local employers suspected of hiring the illegal workers for further investigation.
Kuala Lumpur City Hall confiscated 52 tables and 204 chairs for obstructing public areas during the coordinated operation.
The Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry issued five compounds totalling 5,500 ringgit for pricing and weighing instrument offences.
The Companies Commission of Malaysia separately issued seven compounds for offences related to business signboards and company registration. – Bernama