Malaysian authorities detained around 770 foreigners, including nearly 400 Bangladeshis, overnight on Wednesday in a crackdown on illegal migration in the capital Kuala Lumpur.
Under the codename Ops Belanja, immigration officers launched the raids late Tuesday at the capital’s nighttime district dubbed “Bukit Bintang,” and wrapped up the operation in just two hours, reports The New Straits Times.
Immigration enforcement director Basri Othman led 105 personnel in the raids.
"Among those detained were 394 men and two women from Bangladesh, 235 men from Myanmar, 72 men from Nepal, 58 men from India, 17 men and two women from Indonesia, and nine others of various nationalities," Basri Othman told reporters shortly after the operation.
He said the detentions were mostly for overstaying, not carrying valid identification papers and working without permits.
Basri said the detainees will be taken to the Immigration Department headquarters in Putrajaya for initial screening before being sent to detention depots. Initially, 1,600 foreigners and 845 locals were screened before detaining them.
He said that enforcement efforts would continue.
"We will step up inspections on business premises to ensure employers hire foreign workers only within their approved quotas," he said.
Basri Othman said the raid followed numerous public complaints about undocumented migrants in the area.
"Bukit Bintang has long been a hotspot. Its nightlife and location in the city centre make it a magnet for undocumented workers. We carried out a three-week surveillance before moving in last night," he said.
During the raid, officers also discovered a hidden gambling den fitted with closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras. About seven to eight foreigners were caught playing online gambling and were detained.
Some shops in the area are operated by foreigners, creating a pull factor for others to gather, Basri noted.