THE Immigration Department has detained 171 foreigners in enforcement operations targeting undocumented migrants, including 59 arrested at business premises in Selangor suspected of being used as illegal accommodation and hiding places.
Immigration director-general Datuk Zakaria Shaaban said 112 African nationals were arrested between January and Oct 31, with Nigerians accounting for nearly half of the total at 53.
Ugandans recorded the second-highest number of arrests at 13, followed by Kenyans (10) and Ghanaians (eight).
The remaining detainees comprised nationals from Somalia (six), Tanzania (six), Senegal (four), Algeria (three), Burkina Faso (two), Togo (two) and Gambia (two), while Guinea, Zimbabwe and Libya recorded one arrest each.
Zakaria said entering or remaining in Malaysia without a valid pass or permit was the most common offence, accounting for 85 arrests under Section 6(1)(c) of the Immigration Act 1959/63. Nigerians made up 47 of those detained.
Another 23 individuals were arrested for overstaying under Section 15(1)(c), while three were detained for violating pass conditions under Regulation 39(b) of the Immigration Regulations 1963.
A Nigerian national was also arrested for possessing a false document under Section 56(1)(l), while an Algerian employer was detained under Section 55B for employing foreign workers without valid passes.
“The continued enforcement operations reflect the authorities' commitment to combating the presence of undocumented migrants and taking firm action against employers who shelter or employ them,” he told Utusan Malaysia yesterday.
In a separate crackdown in Selangor today, immigration officers detained 59 foreigners following inspections at eight business premises allegedly used to accommodate migrants and evade detection.
Zakaria said the operation, which began at 1pm, was conducted following two weeks of intelligence gathering and public complaints.
A total of 152 people were inspected, comprising 75 Malaysians and 77 foreigners. The 59 foreigners detained comprised 53 men and six women suspected of various immigration offences.
The offences included failing to possess valid travel documents, overstaying and misusing immigration passes.
The operation involved 17 enforcement officers from the Immigration Department headquarters in Putrajaya. Three Form 29 notices, or witness summonses, were also issued to individuals at the locations to assist investigations.
All those detained were placed at immigration detention depots for further investigation under the Immigration Act 1959/63 and Immigration Regulations 1963.
Zakaria warned that using commercial premises as hiding places would not prevent the department from stepping up intelligence gathering, surveillance and enforcement.
He said action would also be taken against employers, property owners and other parties found employing, accommodating or harbouring undocumented migrants. - November 13, 2026
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