KUALA LUMPUR, Sept. 3 (The Voice) — Malaysian authorities detained 770 undocumented migrants, including 377 men from Bangladesh, during a late-night raid at Bukit Bintang in Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday, officials confirmed.
The operation—dubbed Ops Belanja—took place from approximately 7:30 pm to 10:30 pm, according to Basri Othman, director of the Immigration Department’s enforcement division. A total of 1,600 foreigners and 845 locals were screened during the sweep, he said, following several weeks of public complaints about foreign presences in the area.
Among those detained, besides the Bangladeshis, were 235 Myanmar nationals, 72 Nepalis, 58 Indians, 17 Indonesians (including two women), and others from various countries, officials added. The detainees ranged in age from 21 to 65 and were predominantly male.
The raid also uncovered an online gambling den equipped with a CCTV monitoring system. Officers entered the premises and arrested seven foreigners who were gambling at the time.
Detainees were taken to the Immigration Department headquarters in Putrajaya for initial screening. Subsequent holding centers include Bukit Jalil and Lenggeng depots, where further investigations will be conducted.
Othman warned the public and employers against harboring undocumented migrants, noting that legal action would be taken against those who assist such individuals and urging citizens to submit information to the Immigration Department (JIM).
