Immigration raids two illegal settlements in Gelang Patah, 195 nabbed

 

The Immigration Department detained 195 undocumented migrants, including five women, in a raid at two illegal settlements in Gelang Patah yesterday.

Johor Immigration Department director Baharuddin Tahir said all of them, aged between 19 and 69, were arrested in a six-hour operation dubbed ‘Op Sapu’ which ended early this morning.

"Those detained were 62 Myanmar men, Bangladeshi (55 men), Indian national (28 men), Indonesian (26 men and five women), Pakistani (16 men), Chinese national (two men) and an East Timorese man, as they had no valid identification documents and passes,” Baharuddin said in a statement.

He mentioned that a total of 641 foreigners and locals were checked during the operation, including United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) cardholders.

"The settlements located far from the main road are surrounded by oil palm plantations where 15 containers have been placed since April last year, to facilitate escape from arrest," he said.

He said the detainees were taken to the Setia Tropika Immigration Depot for further action and the case is being investigated under Section 15(1)(c) and Section 6(1)(c) of the Immigration Act 1959/63.

- Bernama