78 foreigners detained in Pengerang raids, 28 premises inspected
KOTA TINGGI: Johor Immigration Department officers detained 78 foreigners during a series of raids on illegal employment and accommodation hotspots in Pengerang near here on Tuesday.
On Tuesday, immigration officers from Johor detained 78 foreigners in a series of raids targeting illegal employment and accommodation centers in Pengerang, near the state capital. The operation, carried out in collaboration with the Malaysian Border Control and Protection Agency (MCBA), lasted from 11am to 4pm. Johor Immigration Director Datuk Mohd Rusdi Mohd Darus revealed that 28 locations, including barbershops, car washes, eateries, and converted living quarters, were inspected.
The detained individuals, aged between 20 and 50, were primarily from Indonesia (36), Pakistan (24), Bangladesh (10), Myanmar (7), and one Indian national. Seven detainees were women. Some businesses were found to be operated illegally by migrants, while others employed them without valid permits, and the premises were also used to house the workers.
Inspections uncovered that the detainees had violated immigration laws through various means, such as abusing social visit passes, overstaying, working without valid permits, or lacking any documentation.
The offenders were cited under the Immigration Act 1959/63 and the Immigration Regulations 1963. Immigration officials issued eight notices during the operation to assist with investigations. The detained individuals are currently held at the Setia Tropika Immigration Depot, awaiting further action.
Written by urgent.news from New Straits Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
