Two restaurant owners detained for allegedly employing illegals

GEORGE TOWN: The Penang Immigration Department detained two restaurant owners for allegedly employing 14 illegal immigrants at their respective outlets in Jalan Rumbia and Lorong Bayan Indah, Bayan Lepas near here.
Following information that illegals were working at the two restaurants, a team of immigration enforcement officers yesterday nabbed the suspects, in their 40s.
The team found seven illegals working in each of the restaurants during the six-hour operation, beginning 2pm.
A state immigration department spokesman said the 14 illegal immigrants comprised six men (three Thais and three Indonesians) and eight women (three Indonesians and five Thais).
"The illegals did not possess travel documents, work permits and had abused their social visit pass," he said here today.
In another operation, the immigration department detained 35 foreign workers at several restaurants and rented rooms in George Town, Permatang Damar Laut, Bayan Lepas, Sungai Nibong and Bukit Jambul.
The suspects were nabbed for various immigration offences.
A spokesman said a total of 45 foreign workers aged between 25 and 43 were screened in the operation dubbed 'Ops Ikrar'.
He said those under detention comprised eight Indonesians (four men and four women), Bangladeshis (eight men), Thais (seven women), Indians (six men) and Nepalese (two men).
They were sent to the Immigration Detention Depot in Juru, Bukit Mertajam to facilitate investigations. — Bernama