KUALA LUMPUR: A total of 18 individuals have been detained in an immigration operation dubbed Operasi JIM WPKL 2024 at the Melati shopping mall here today.
In the operation that began around 3pm, 23 foreign nationals were screened by Immigration Department officers at the mall, in which 16 were arrested for violating immigration laws.
Two local men in their 40s were also arrested for allegedly employing some of the suspected illegal migrants.
Kuala Lumpur Immigration director-general Wan Mohammed Saupee Wan Yusoff said his department had received complaints about foreign nationals believed to be illegal migrants engaging in activities at the shopping mall.
"We conducted inspections throughout the shoplots and food court in the mall," he said.
"Following the inspections, we detained 16 foreign nationals, including three women aged between 22 and 45, for offences such as not possessing travel documents and having expired passports.
"The detained individuals comprised 10 Bangladeshi men, three Indonesian women, and one man each from India, Pakistan and Indonesia," Wan Mohammed Saupee added.
"All detainees were transported to the Kuala Lumpur Immigration Department Office for documentation."
Wan Mohammed Saupee also advised employers against hiring illegal migrants to avoid facing legal action.