Operation Kurangi: Biometric data of 805 expats collected from Maafushi

Maldivian authorities have collected the biometric data of 805 expatriates in K. Maafushi as part of ‘Operation Kurangi’ – a special operation launched by the Home Ministry last month, in an effort to curtail illegal migration.

The operation, which is set to be rolled out in phases, was launched from K. Himmafushi, on May 2.

It was expanded to Maafushi last Thursday.

In a post on X on Friday night, the Home Ministry said they had collected the biometric data of 805 expatriates in Maafushi.

#OperationKurangi pic.twitter.com/IJGWXznL0n

— Ministry of Homeland Security & Technology, MV (@HomeMinistrymv) June 14, 2024

In Himmafushi, they collected the data of 705 expatriates.

The first phase of ‘Operation Kurangi’ seeks to collect the biometric data of all migrant workers in the Maldives.

At a session of the ‘Ahaa’ public forum back in April, Home Minister Ali Ihusan said the issue of undocumented migrants will be resolved in three years.

He said that the collection of biometric data of migrants was just phase one of the operation, and will wrap up within one year.

He said that once the data on all migrants are collected and entered into a system, the government will then regularize all undocumented migrants.

Ihusan warned that those who fail to make use of the opportunity will be deported.

However, he stressed that the goal is not to arrest and deport migrants, but to give them a chance to get regularized.