39 irregular expats detained in raid on Guraidhoo

Maldives Immigration has detained 39 irregular expatriates in a raid on K. Guraidhoo.

Immigration launched a special operation on Thursday to identify and detain irregular expatriates living in islands outside the capital. Guraidhoo was the target of the first raid under this operation.

The operation in Guaraidhoo took place between 10:30 am and 05:30 pm on Thursday and involved 20 immigration officers and nine police officers who were distributed into teams.

Immigration raided 42 properties and checked 106 expatriates. 39 expatriates involved in irregular business activities were taken into custody. This includes individuals of Bangladesh, Sri Lankan, Nepalese and Indian nationalities, as well as a Nigerian national.

Another 11 expatriates with incomplete visas were served notice to appear at the Immigration headquarters, while five Maldivian employers were issued written reprimands.

Controller General of Immigration Mohamed Shamaan Waheed, who traveled to Guraidhoo to personally oversee the raid, said that the agency decided to expand its raid operations to the atolls following reports that many irregular expatriates were leaving Male’ to islands to avoid detainment during the ongoing raids targeting the capital.

ގަވާއިދާ ހިލާފަށް ރާއްޖޭގައި އުޅެމުންދާ ބިދޭސީން ބަލައި ފާސްކުރުމަށް މިއަދު ކ.ގުރައިދޫގައި ހިންގި ހާއްސަ އޮޕަރޭޝަންގެ ތެރެއިން.

މި އޮޕަރޭޝަންގައި ކޮންޓްރޯލަރ ޖެނެރަލް އޮފް އިމިގްރޭޝަން، @ShamaanW އަދި ޑެޕިއުޓީ ކޮންޓްރޯލަރ @Ashfan20 ވަނީ އަމަލީ ގޮތުން ބައިވެރިވެފައި. އަދި… pic.twitter.com/3Cm5Ugwv0X

— Maldives Immigration (@ImmigrationMV) October 24, 2024

Immigration and the police have been conducting serial raids in a special joint operation targeting businesses run by irregular expatriates.

Over 4,000 individuals have been deported as part of the crackdown.

Shamaan said last week that the number of expatriates deported in the operation is expected to surpass 5,000 in November.