377 Bangladeshis among 770 migrants detained from Kuala Lumpur online gambling den
Further checks revealed the detainees included 377 Bangladeshi men, 235 Myanmar men, 72 Nepalese men, 58 Indian men, 17 Indonesian men and two women, as well as three men and six women from other countries
A total of 770 foreigners were detained during an Immigration Department raid at an online gambling den in Kuala Lumpur's Bukit Bintang area, with 377 of them identified as Bangladeshi, according to a report by Bernama.
The report says the special operation, codenamed Op Belanja, was carried out last night (2 September) following weeks of public complaints about foreigners gathering for social activities in Jalan Bedara. Some tried to escape by climbing buildings or hiding in nearby business premises but were eventually caught.
Immigration Department Enforcement Division director Basri Othman said, "Officers also uncovered an online gambling centre inside the premises, equipped with CCTV cameras. Seven foreigners were arrested there while still engaged in gambling."
Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel
In total, checks were conducted on 2,445 individuals, including 1,600 foreigners and 845 locals. Of the 770 foreigners detained, offences included overstaying, lacking valid identification documents and possessing unrecognised cards or passes, reads the report.
Further checks revealed the detainees included 377 Bangladeshi men, 235 Myanmar men, 72 Nepalese men, 58 Indian men, 17 Indonesian men and two women, as well as three men and six women from other countries.
The migrants, aged between 21 and 65, were taken to the Immigration Department in Putrajaya for initial screening before being placed at the Bukit Jalil and Lenggeng detention centres for further investigation.
The report further says, the offences fall under several provisions of the Immigration Act 1959/63, the Passport Act 1966 and the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act 2007.
Basri also cautioned that legal action will be taken against those who shelter illegal immigrants and urged the public to share information to assist enforcement operations.
