KUALA TERENGGANU: A group of foreigners did not have time to finish their football match when they were nabbed by the Immigration Department during a two-day Integrated Enforcement Operation (PeWA) yesterday.
It is understood that a group of 59 foreigners, including five children, went to the football field near Kampung Tok Jembal, Kuala Nerus, to watch a football match at about 5.30pm before they were detained in the raid.
During the raid, some of those wearing jerseys attempted to flee the scene, but were unsuccessful as the area was already surrounded by Immigration Department enforcement officers, police, and Road Transport Department (RTD) officers.
Terengganu Immigration Department director Azhar Abd Hamid said three Bangladeshi men and 10 Myanmar men aged between 20 and 50 were detained under Section 6(1)(c) of the Immigration Act 1959/63 for not having valid travel documents.
They were sent to the Ajil Immigration Depot.
"The raid and arrest of foreigners who were playing football and supporting the team were conducted based on intelligence and information from the public," he told the media at the state Immigration Department office today.
Azhar said a total of 59 foreigners driving vehicles without a valid driver's licence were also arrested in an operation.
He said they were flagged down while driving vehicles in several locations, including in the Kuala Nerus district.
"They were taken to the state RTD office for further investigation.
"After checking, six foreigners—three Bangladeshi men, one Cambodian, and two from Myanmar—were detained for not having valid travel documents," he said.
Also present was Terengganu Immigration Department Deputy Director Mat Amin Hassan.