Police kick off massive operation (Updated)

KUALA LUMPUR: In search of foreigners involved in militant activities and ahead of the upcoming SEA Games, the federal police Special Branch's counter-terrorism unit (CTU) launched a massive operation in the city here today.
The operation which kicked off at about 12pm at the Jalan Masjid India shopping hub was targeted at foreigners in possession of fake or lost travel documents and those with links with international militant groups especially those in Syria and Iraq.
A total of 409 foreigners were picked up during the operation at the vicinity of the area and an apartment block nearby.
Bangladeshis were the highest held followed by Indians and Pakistanis.
The rest are from Nepal, Indonesia, Myanmar, Oman, Yemen, Uzbekistan, Thailand, Nigeria, Sri Lankan and a local.
Police also uncovered a foreign syndicate specialising in the forgery of workers work permits, recovering 49 foreign passports and RM54,000 at an apartment unit at the City One Towers condominium.
The raiding party was also forced to break down the doors of a few apartment units occupied by foreigners when they refused to allow the authorities access for checks.
There were also cases of foreigners who fled on foot on seeing the authorities but they were caught after a short chase.
Most were held for failing to produce legitimate travel documents or overstaying.
Apart from the federal police Interpol, K9 unit, federal reserve unit (FRU), general operations force (GOF), bomb disposal unit, forensics unit and traffic unit assisting the CTU in the joint operation, other enforcement units namely the Immigration Department, Atomic Energy Licensing Board (AELB), National Registration Department (NRD) also took part in the raids.
CTU principal assistant director Datuk Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay who headed the operation said it was the first time such an operation was carried out with the AELB to trace radioactive materials during raids.
He said portable nuclear testing equipment loaned by the International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna were used in the operation but no suspicious materials were found.
He said the equipment will be put to use throughout the SEA Games as a precautionary measure.
Ayob said that the detained foreigners will be screened for links to militancy and will be handed over to immigration department if they did not possess proper travel documents.
Ayob said police are leaving no stones unturned and are taking all necessary steps in ensuring the SEA Games will proceed smoothly.
AELB technical officer Mohd Irfan Effendi Mohd Nordin said the three testing equipment that will be used are:
>> Personal Radiation Device — a pager-sized gadget that beeps picking up radiation.
>> Radiation Backpack — A device that tracks down the source of radiation.
>> Radionuclide Identification Device — a device to search, detect, localise and identify radionuclide composition of radioactive and nuclear materials, and for quick and accurate measurement of dose rate and count rate.