The Immigration Department detained 218 foreign nationals during an integrated operation at Taman Emas, Cheras.
Deputy Director-General (Operations) Datuk Lokman Effendi Ramli said that thermal drone technology helped detect around 15 individuals hiding on the rooftops of shop buildings.
The operation, conducted from 6 pm to 8.30 pm, involved inspections of 1,087 people across business premises and upper-floor accommodations.
“Of the total, 218 foreign nationals aged between 18 and 53 were detained for suspected involvement in various immigration offences,” he stated.
The operation followed two weeks of intelligence gathering and involved 279 Immigration officers and 10 National Registration Department personnel.
Those detained included 166 men and 52 women from countries such as Myanmar, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Nigeria, Nepal, India, Sri Lanka, and others.
All detainees have been placed at the Semenyih Immigration Detention Depot for further investigation. They are being probed for offences including lacking valid documents, breaching pass conditions, and overstaying.
Lokman Effendi stressed that enforcement operations will continue to detect, arrest, and deport foreigners violating immigration laws.
As of yesterday, a total of 1,069 operations nationwide have inspected 17,793 individuals, resulting in 3,691 arrests of illegal immigrants.
He also reminded the public and employers not to hire or harbour foreigners without valid documentation and urged illegal immigrants to join the Migrant Repatriation Programme 2.0 before it ends in April 2026.
