Kulim:The Immigration Department detained 630 foreign nationals during a large-scale raid at a battery manufacturing plant construction site in Padang Meha, near Kulim. The operation, known as Ops Mega, took place yesterday.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, the raid involved 159 personnel from the Immigration Department, including teams from Putrajaya, Kedah, Kuala Lumpur, Perlis, Perak, Negeri Sembilan, and the department's Special Tactical Team (PASTAK). The operation began at 11 am and was preceded by intelligence gathering and comprehensive monitoring of the nearly 500,000-square-metre site.
During the raid, 697 individuals were inspected, including Malaysians, and 630 foreign nationals were detained. These detainees were contract workers, allegedly employed by subcontractors, and included 622 men and eight women aged between 18 and 50 years. This marks the largest number of foreign nationals arrested at a single location in Kedah in the last decade.
Among those detained, Chinese nationals accounted for the largest group with 396 individuals, followed by 199 from Bangladesh, 10 from Pakistan, seven from Myanmar, five from India, four from Ghana, three from Nigeria, two each from Kenya and Indonesia, and one each from New Zealand and Senegal.
This operation was notable for detaining foreign nationals from countries like Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya, and Senegal, who are not commonly found working at construction sites. The detainees allegedly violated Section 6(1)(c) and Section 15(1)(c) of the Immigration Act 1959/63, as well as Regulation 39(b) of the Immigration Regulations 1963.
Some foreign nationals attempted to evade capture during the raid by hiding in high-risk areas, including climbing onto unfinished building roofs. Additionally, six notices were issued to witnesses to aid in the ongoing investigation.
The department emphasized the importance of employers, main contractors, and subcontractors ensuring that all foreign workers have valid travel documents, passes, or permits. Enforcement operations will continue to be intensified to uphold immigration laws.