A hundred more illegal immigrants fished out

KUALA LUMPUR: They were the ones that almost got away – as the authorities cracked down on illegal immigrants at the Selayang market, some suspects tried to give them the slip by hiding in fish containers.

However, they were all successfully reeled in, with over 100 foreigners arrested in the latest of a series of raids against illegal immigrants.

The joint operation, led by the police with more than 400 members of its Internal Security and Public Order Department, and officers from the Immigration Department, stormed the market at around 3am yesterday after they had gathered intelligence.

“The operation was intended to address the various criminal activities that occur around the Selayang market area in Kuala Lumpur, especially those involving illegal immigrants,” city police chief Comm Datuk Allaudeen Abdul Majid said in a statement yesterday.

A total of 108 illegal immigrants including four women were held for not possessing valid travel documents or overstaying.

The majority of those arrested were Indonesians (52), and the others were 35 Myanmar, 12 Indians, seven Bangladeshis, a Nepalese and a Pakistani.

“The police, alongside other departments and agencies, will continue to conduct special operations such as this in the future,” said Comm Allaudeen.

Videos shared by the police showed suspects hiding in fish containers.

Yesterday’s raid was part of the recent series of large-scale operations against illegal immigrants carried out in and outside the Klang Valley.

On Jan 20, over 500 undocumented foreigners were nabbed at an apartment complex in Beranang, Hulu Langat.

The raid on the area, dubbed “mini Dhaka,” saw 561 foreigners – 27 children, 447 men and 87 women – being detained by the Immigration Department.

On Dec 21, a major operation mounted by over 1,000 enforcement personnel in the heart of the city was carried out in Jalan Silang. In all, 1,101 undocumented foreigners were picked up.

Also seized were about 100 cartons of cigarettes as well as 80 cartons of alcoholic beverages and illegal medicines worth RM104,530.