JOHOR BARU: An aggressive operation conducted by state Immigration Department enforcement officers has flushed out foreigners who were illegally working and staying in Johor.
The series of operations also targeted Malaysians who employed and sheltered these illegal immigrants.
Johor Immigration director Baharuddin Tahir said despite the government's efforts to legalise eligible illegal immigrants last year via the Recalibration Programme 2.0 (RTK 2.0), many of them ignored the offer.
"Now, we will no longer compromise and stern action will be taken against undocumented foreigners and Malaysians who violate any provision under the Immigration Act 1959/63."
The coordinated raids were conducted simultaneously in locations such the Bestmart hypermarket in Iskandar Puteri.
Sixteen migrant hotspots in Senai, including a cornice factory were also identified.
A total of 159 undocumented foreigners were detained for various immigration offences in the series of raids.
In the Bestmart raid at 9.20am yesterday, 80 enforcement officers stormed into the premises and detained 46 undocumented foreigners and a 50-year-old Malaysian man under Op Belanja.
The hypermarket consists of a supermarket chain, wet market, more than 400 stalls selling fresh and dry produce and food court.
The 46 undocumented migrants detained comprised 25 Indonesians, 18 Myanmar nationals, two Bangladeshis and an Indian citizen.
They included six women aged between 22 and 55 who failed to produce valid working permits, had breeched their visas and had overstayed.
Baharuddin said the officers mounted a seven-day surveillance on the premises following a public-tip-off.
Another operation codenamed Op Kutip was carried out at the cornice manufacturing factory in Senai, which resulted in the detention of 62 foreign nationals aged between 21 and 49.
The migrants failed to produce valid working permits.
The officers also went to 16 hotspots in Taman Desa Idaman, also in Senai, where 105 individuals were inspected and 51 foreigners were detained for various immigration offences.
The detainees are from Bangladesh, Indonesia, Myanmar, India, and Nepal.
All detainees are being held at the the Setia Tropika Immigration Depot for further investigation and action.