SEGAMAT: The Immigration Department arrested 420 illegal immigrants suspected of committing various offences during simultaneous raids at 12 factories processing illegal electrical and electronic waste (e-waste) in Johor and Selangor, today.
Ten of the factories were located in Johor, while two others were in Telok Panglima Garang, Selangor.
Immigration deputy director-general (operations) Jafri Embok Taha said the operation, which started at 9 am and was carried out with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), resulted in the screening of 753 individuals.
He added that the offences detected included the absence of valid travel documents, overstaying, and misuse of travel documents.
“Those arrested are aged between 20 and 30, with the majority being Bangladeshis, followed by Myanmar nationals and Nepalese,” he said after the operation at a factory on Jalan Buloh Kasap here today.
Jafri said that all individuals arrested at Jalan Buloh Kasap had been taken to the Machap Umboo Immigration Depot in Melaka and the Pekan Nanas Immigration Depot in Johor for further investigation.
He said that the department also detained five locals in their 30s, believed to be acting as representatives for the employers in managing the foreign workers.
“Action will be taken under the Immigration Act 1959/63 and Regulation 39(b) of the Immigration Regulations 1963. The investigation will also determine if they have committed repeated offences,” said Jafri.
A Bernama check at a factory here found that although the employer provided dormitories for the foreign workers, the facilities, which consisted of at least four blocks, were dirty, uncomfortable, and overcrowded.
Each room was furnished with makeshift bunk beds, cooking utensils scattered around, and exposed electrical wiring, putting the workers’ lives at risk.
It was reported last Thursday that the nationwide crackdown on illegal e-waste operations, carried out by the police in collaboration with the Department of Environment (DOE), had led to RM3.8 billion in seizures between Jan 1, 2024, and Feb 17, 2025.
