BUTTERWORTH: A group of foreigners who used the Maal Hijrah holiday to meet up with their friends landed in trouble when Penang Immigration Department swooped in on them at Penang Sentral, here today.
State Immigration Department enforcement chief Kholijah Mohamad said the 18 foreigners, aged between 20 and 45, comprised 15 men (Bangladeshi - six; Myanmar - four; Indonesian - four; Cambodian - one) and three Indonesian women.
“The one-hour operation which began at 11am was conducted following surveillance after a public tip-off that many foreigners were using the bus services during public holidays,“ she told reporters, here today.
She said the 18 were arrested for not having any travel documents, overstaying and misusing their social visit passes.
“Some of them should have returned to their countries of origin upon expiry of their work permits but they continued to live here and work illegally,” she added.
According to Khotijah, the culprits were sent to the Juru detention depot for further investigation under the Immigration Act. - Bernama
