KUALA LUMPUR – A total of 1,101 undocumented migrants, including two children, were detained by enforcement authorities during a multi-agency operation at Jalan Silang in the city centre earlier today.
Contraband worth RM104,530 was also seized from raided premises in the area, said Kuala Lumpur police chief Datuk Allaudeen Abdul Majid at a press conference.
Among the contraband confiscated in the 11am raid was 100 cartons of cigarettes valued at RM22,000, alcoholic beverages worth RM48,000 and RM34,530 worth of foreign medicines, which were not approved by the Health Ministry.
“We’re taking our operations (cracking down on migrants with unverified documentation) very seriously. This is in line with the government’s goal of ensuring that the nation is free of undocumented foreigners.
“If we look at subsidy leakages, undocumented migrants are a contributing factor,” Allaudeen said, adding that there are plans to carry out similar operations at other locations in the future.
Noting that the operation was carried out based on information received regarding the high number of migrants who were also involved in criminal activities in the area, Allaudeen urged the public to continue notifying police regarding suspicious activity by undocumented migrants.
A total of 1,138 personnel from agencies such as the Royal Malaysia Police, the Internal Security and Public Order Department, the Immigration Department, the Customs Department and the Civil Defence Force were involved in the operation.
Since this morning, netizens have taken to social media to share images and videos allegedly depicting the operation, with some questioning the large number of armed police presence while others sought information on the line of police trucks blocking the road in the area. – December 21, 2023