SHAH ALAM: The Immigration Department (JIM) detained 83 illegal immigrants in a raid on a storage warehouse in Alam Megah, Section 27 here today.
Selangor JIM director Khairrul Aminus Kamaruddin said they were among the 150 foreigners inspected under Op Sasar, which involved two premises that stored goods, from 10 am to noon.
He added that the illegal immigrants, aged between 22 and 50, were detained for various offences, including not having identification documents, violating their pass conditions, overstaying and being unrecognised cardholders.
Those detained, comprising 68 Myanmar nationals, 10 Bangladeshis and five Pakistanis, have been placed at the Semenyih Immigration Depot.
He told a media conference at the Selangor JIM office here today that a 48-year-old Malaysian, believed to be the manager of both premises, was also detained under Section 55B of the Immigration Act 1959/63 for employing illegal immigrants.
Khairrul Aminus said that preliminary investigations found that some of them used the United Nations High Commissioner For Refugees (UNHCR) card and violated work permits.
He said the case is being investigated under the Immigration Act 1959/63, Passports Act 1966, Immigration Regulations 1963 and the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act 2007.
He urged the foreigners to join the Migrant Repatriation Programme 2.0, which began on May 19 and ends on April 30 next year, with a total payment of RM520 including fines and a special pass to return to their country of origin.
There are four Selangor JIM offices involved in the programme, namely in Shah Alam, Kelana Jaya, Port Klang and Kajang, he said.