KUALA LUMPUR: The Immigration Department arrested 50 foreign nationals, including a company manager, during a raid on a garment factory in Cheras on Wednesday, for allegedly employing illegal workers.
Immigration director-general Datuk Zakaria Shaaban said that the special operation, which began at 9.15 pm yesterday, involved personnel from the Intelligence and Special Operations Division, in cooperation with the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants and Anti-Money Laundering criminal investigation teams from the Immigration headquarters in Putrajaya.
He added that the raid was conducted following public complaints and two weeks of intelligence gathering. The operation team raided the premises and arrested a 46-year-old Bangladeshi man, believed to be the company manager, for allegedly hiring foreign nationals illegally.
Also arrested were 34 Bangladeshi men and 15 Myanmar women, aged between 20 and 60, who are suspected of being workers at the factory.
“The company manager is suspected of committing offences under Section 55B and Section 55E of the Immigration Act 1959/63,“ Zakaria said in a statement.
Meanwhile, the foreign nationals detained are suspected of violating Section 6(3) of the Immigration Act 1959/63 and Regulation 39(b) of the Immigration Regulations 1963. They were brought to the Bukit Jalil Immigration Depot for further investigation.
During the inspection, the operation team seized 40 punch cards and sewing equipment. The garment company had been in operation for two years.
