Six expatriates, involved in operating businesses illegally, have been arrested.
Maldives Immigration stated that under the special operations targeting small and medium enterprises (SMEs), two markets were investigated and approved. During the raid, six individuals were arrested, including four men and two women. The Immigration revealed plans to continue and expand the operations.
Under the joint operations in collaboration with the Maldives Police Service (MPS), two foreigners involved in illegal foreign exchange activities, and eight individuals running coffee shops have been taken into the custody of the Immigration. The individuals held in custody stay at the Detention Centre.
Addressing the issue of illegal immigrants, Controller General of Immigration Mohamed Sham'aan stated that identifying expatriates involved in businesses activities which are not permitted and taking legal action against them are their current priority. Sham'aan emphasised the Immigration's efforts to resolve the issue, affirming that the current operations will not be halted.
The government is making strategic efforts to tackle this issue. As such, the government aims to expand this operation across all islands nationwide within the next year and collect information about immigrants to be easily accessed in a single database. The government also targets to solve the issue of illegal immigrants completely within three years.