More than 45,000 foreigners sent home this year

Foreign nationals are seen in this file photo being held at an immigration depot. Checks were conducted on more than 146,000 foreigners this year, a senior official said. (Bernama pic) KOTA BHARU: More than 65,000 foreigners have been detained for various immigration offences so far this year, and more than 45,000 of those detained were repatriated to their respective home countries, a senior immigration official said today.

Lokman Effendi Ramli. Nationals of Bangladesh, Indonesia and Myanmar were among the most sent back, said Lokman Effendi Ramli, a deputy director-general of immigration.

He said checks were conducted on more than 146,000 foreigners between Jan 1 and Oct 15, with an average of more than 38 immigration operations conducted every day.

Among the most common offences were not possessing valid documents or permits to stay in Malaysia, overstaying, and abusing the passes or permits granted, such as working in Malaysia while on a social visit visa.

In a raid at a construction site in Kubang Kerian, here today, 55 foreigners were detained and were taken in for further inspection.

In an operation this morning, officials detained a Myanmar man believed to be acting as a transporter to smuggle out 10 compatriots from Malaysia through illegal routes.

The 10 people, aged between 20 and 34 years, were believed to have paid about RM3,500 each. They were believed to have come from Johor Bahru and Kuala Lumpur before transiting in Wakaf Che Yeh to be smuggled out of the country.