Johor Immigration Dept nabs 145 illegal immigrants in city centre raid

JOHOR BARU: The Johor Immigration Department has arrested 145 illegal immigrants during a raid on four kopitiam premises in the city centre.

Its director Datuk Mohd Rusdi Mohd Darus said the raid was conducted on July 13 between 10am and 12.30pm under Ops Selera by the department’s enforcement team.

“The raid followed public complaints that the premises hired foreign workers without proper permits.

“A total of 203 individuals were inspected, and 145 of them were arrested for various offences,” he said in a statement on Monday (July 15).

The arrests consist of 90 men and 18 women from Myanmar, 27 men from Nepal, four men and three women from Indonesia, and three men from Bangladesh, all aged between 18 and 44.

The case is being investigated under Section 39(b) of the Immigration Regulations of 1963 for abuse of social visit passes and Sections 6(1)(c) and 15(1)(c) of the Immigration Act of 1959/63 for overstaying and entering the country without valid travel documents.