Latest news with #PutrajayaImmigrationDepartment
New Straits Times
26-07-2025
- New Straits Times
Immigration busts illegal settlement, detains 33 construction workers in Kajang
KUALA LUMPUR: The Immigration Department detained 33 foreign workers for allegedly committing various immigration offences during a raid on a construction site in Bandar Bukit Mahkota, Kajang yesterday. Acting on public complaints and intelligence gathered over almost two weeks, a team from the Putrajaya Immigration Department raided the site and found it had been turned into an illegal settlement, also used for storing various construction materials. In a statement shared on its Facebook page yesterday, the department said the raiding party inspected 150 people, comprising 146 foreigners and four locals, during the 2am raid. "Following the checks, 33 foreigners, aged between 29 and 42, were detained during the raid. "They included individuals from Bangladesh, Indonesia, Pakistan and Nepal." The department added that the foreigners were arrested for various immigration offences, including lacking valid travel documents, overstaying, and violating pass conditions. The offences fall under Section 6(1)(c) and Section 15(1)(c) of the Immigration Act 1959/63, as well as Regulation 39(b) of the Immigration Regulations 1963. "We also issued a witness summons (Form 29) to a local woman who had been living in the settlement." The department said the group's modus operandi was to blend in with legitimate workers in the construction sector, some of whom possessed valid Temporary Employment Visit Passes. All those arrested during the raid have been sent to the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) Immigration Detention Depot for further investigation and action.
The Star
05-06-2025
- Business
- The Star
Thirteen foreigners arrested for illegal homestay operations
PETALING JAYA: The Immigration Department has arrested 13 foreigners for operating illegal homestays. The Immigration Department conducted the operation on Tuesday (June 3) along Jalan Ipoh and Jalan Sultan Ismail. Following two weeks of surveillance, the department arrested 10 Bangladeshis, one Indonesian, an Indian, and a Filipino national. "All suspects are aged between 24 and 40 and were believed to be homestay agents," said department deputy director-general (management) Ismail Mokhtar in a statement on Thursday (June 5). Six of the arrested suspects had temporary work visas intended for the construction and cleaning industries. "The rest had no valid travel documents or passes to be in Malaysia. "The group managed homestays by renting them from local owners. Customers made reservations online, which were managed by the suspects. "These activities have been ongoing for around a year. All detained have been brought to the Putrajaya Immigration Department for further action," he said. Six locals and a Bangladeshi national have also been issued summonses to present themselves to the department to assist investigations.
New Straits Times
17-05-2025
- New Straits Times
Hundreds of foreign workers flee during immigration raid at Jalan TAR mall
KUALA LUMPUR: Hundreds of foreign workers at a popular shopping mall along Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman (TAR) scattered in all directions after being caught off guard by an immigration raid. The raid, codenamed Op Kutip, was carried out today by the Putrajaya Immigration Department (JIM). Although the raid primarily targeted the mall, many foreign workers from nearby shopping centres also fled the area after being alerted by their colleagues about the presence of immigration officers. A Harian Metro journalist who joined the operation observed that several business premises, believed to be managed by foreign workers, were left unattended following the arrival of JIM personnel. Immigration deputy director-general (operations) Jafri Ambok Taha said the 2.30pm raid was conducted by officers and personnel from JIM Putrajaya following public complaints and a week-long intelligence operation. He said a total of 964 individuals were screened during the operation, comprising 273 foreigners and 691 locals. "Out of that number, 143 undocumented migrants were detained. This includes 56 Indonesians, 26 Bangladeshis, 32 Pakistanis, 10 Indians, 10 Myanmar nationals, four Syrians, three Nepalis, one Afghan, and one Chinese national - all arrested for various immigration offences. "They include 110 men and 33 women, aged between 22 and 48 years. "All of them will be placed at the immigration detention depot for further investigation and action," he said at a press conference following the operation. Jafri said the offences identified included not possessing identification documents, violating pass conditions, overstaying, holding unrecognised cards, and other breaches under the Immigration Act. He added that during the raid, some foreigners attempted to flee by forcefully pushing through officers and provoking them after realising the presence of enforcement teams, which made the arrests more challenging. "The cramped and disorganised environment, along with the presence of customers, further slowed down the inspection process. "Enforcement officers had to conduct thorough checks throughout the entire business complex. "Some foreigners were found hiding in fitting rooms, under stairwells, in toilets, storerooms, and even behind closed doors. "Some individuals refused to open doors, concealed foreigners, or hid important documents, which delayed the inspection process," he said. He also reminded locals, especially employers, not to hire or shelter undocumented migrants, as they could face stern action under the Immigration Act 1959/63, Passport Act 1966, Immigration Regulations 1963, and the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act 2007 (Atipsom). Meanwhile, Jafri said that as of May 15, the department had inspected 67,574 individuals through 5,090 operations nationwide. He said that 34,615 undocumented migrants and 680 employers were arrested during these operations.
New Straits Times
29-04-2025
- New Straits Times
Immigration nabs Bangladeshi man behind foreign worker permit syndicate
KUALA LUMPUR: The Immigration Department has uncovered an illegal syndicate, allegedly masterminded by a Bangladeshi man, that operated for a year offering immigration services for the renewal of foreign workers' permits. The group is believed to have promoted its services through social media, charging between RM1,000 and RM2,000 per application. Department director-general Datuk Zakaria Shaaban said that, acting on public tip-offs and intelligence gathered over two weeks, an operations team comprising officers from the Putrajaya Immigration Department and Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) conducted a raid yesterday at two locations in Jalan Sultan Ismail. "The team was deployed to a shop lot and a residential unit, where they arrested a Bangladeshi man believed to be the main mastermind behind the syndicate. "The operations team also detained three other men, nationals of Bangladesh, India, and Indonesia, who are believed to be agents," he said in a statement today. Preliminary checks found that the two Bangladeshi nationals, the alleged mastermind and one of the agents, are believed to be related. Zakaria added that all four detainees are aged between 23 and 48. Preliminary checks revealed that three of them held valid employment passes, while the Indonesian man had overstayed his visa. He said the operations team also seized a local authority licence, company documents, a Companies Commission of Malaysia certificate, business records, 48 copies of Bangladeshi passports, two copies of Indian passports, six copies of Indonesian passports, two copies of Pakistani passports and RM2,400 in cash. Zakaria added that all of them were detained on suspicion of committing offences under the Immigration Act 1959/63, the Passport Act 1966, and the Immigration Regulations 1963. They are currently being held at the Putrajaya Immigration Depot for further action. He said the case is also being investigated by DBKL under Section 20(1)(e) of the Licensing of Trade, Business and Industry (Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur) By-Laws 2016 for conducting activities on business premises that do not comply with the licensed business activity. Zakaria added that the case is also being investigated under Section 79(1) of the Street, Drainage and Building Act 1974 for constructing internal partitions to create rooms or office space without DBKL's approval. Two local men were issued notices to appear at the Immigration Department office to assist with the investigation. "The department will continue to take strict action against any party found to have committed offences under the Immigration Act 1959/63, the Passport Act 1966, the Immigration Regulations 1963, and the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act 2007 (ATIPSOM)," he said.
