KUCHING: A total of 31 illegal immigrants were detained by the Sarawak Immigration Department in a two-day long operation, which ended on Wednesday.
The foreigners, from Indonesia and Bangladesh, were picked up by the department’s Kuching-based enforcement team, which raided two construction sites in Bau 2, Jalan Rock and Samarahan near here on Tuesday.
The raiding party concluded its operation by inspecting a rumah kongsi (hostel) in Tondong, Bau near here the following day.
“A total of 303 people including 98 Malaysians, 33 Bangladeshi nationals and 172 people from Indonesia were inspected during the operation.
“After their documents were screened, the department detained 29 people including a woman from Indonesia and two men from Bangladesh,” said the department in a statement today.
Checks showed that the Bangladeshi duo and six Indonesian men had overstayed in the country, while 16 others including the woman detained during the raid, failed to provide any valid document or working permit, which led to their arrest.
Seven others were detained for abusing their visit passes.
“All immigrants detained had flouted the Immigrations Act 1959/63 and they have been sent to the Semuja detention depot in Serian near here.”