In response to high praise on social media following scenes of locals manning marketplace stall across Male' City today, Minister Ihusan has assured that the government will persevere in their work to identify undocumented immigrants.
Addressing the recent operation proceeded across Male' City to identify illegal expatriates, Minister of Homeland Security and Technology, Ali Ihusan declared that the government will strive forward with determination until a permanent solution is found for the problem of undocumented immigrants in the country.
The Minister said this while addressing social media posts commending him after observing local markets manned entirely by locals today as a result of the special raid operation proceeded recently across local markets in Male' City through joint efforts of the Maldives Police Service (MPS) and Maldives Immigration to identify undocumented immigrants working in the city.
Former Journalist and Parliamentarian of the Hoarafushi Constituency, Mohamed Saleem stated on social media that he had visited the local market today after quite some time and found a surprising and distinct scene; locals replacing expatriates in the stalls. He added that the locals had highly applauded the Minister in obtaining these results.
In response, Ihusan said that the neglected implementation of the country's laws has come to an end with this operation to identify undocumented immigrants,
He asserted that praise for ending the expat's reign in the local market businesses is deserved by President Dr Mohamed Muizzu as well.
"On the day of assigning the task to me, [the President] highlighted that the foremost responsibility of Homeland Security will be to find a permanent solution to the problem of illegal immigrants residing in the country," said Minister Ihusan on the task appointed to him by President Muizzu.
He said that the scene observed at present are the results of the hard work by Controller General of Immigration, Mohamed Shamaan, Commissioner of Police, Ali Shujau and dedicated members of both institutions.
A special raid operation targeting illegal business activities conducted by undocumented immigrants in the local marketplace and independently operated market businesses in Male' city on June 29, had observed 50 expatriates taken into immigration custody. The expats will remain in custody until documentation of their deportation is arranged, said Immigration.
Shortly before they were shut down due to a lack of Maldivians to man the stalls, authorities had targeted the local market near Villa Mart on Majeedhee Magu and the market near the PSM office on Ameenee Magu during the operation and arrested all expats stationed at the stalls.
However, following reports by Mihaaru News last night on both the markets resuming operations with expats still running the stalls, Immigration had initiated another raid in collaboration with the police last night and arrested expatriates manning the stalls. Mihaaru News reports that this recent raid had only caught four expatriates.
Local medias who observed the market scene yesterday morning report that there were more than four expatriates operating the stalls. An onlooker had shared that most expatriates had missed the operation's radar after they left their posts following intel received on a raid operation.
With the raid proceeded last night, the market on Majeedhee Magu has now shut down. Meanwhile, locals have taken over the stalls after police officers entered the marketplace on Ameenee Magu for the raid and the expatriates at the market were taken into Immigration custody.
Immigration Controller, Mohamed Shamaan affirms that all illegal immigrants residing in the country will be deported.
The raid begun to identify undocumented expatriates had also observed 8 expats arrested from takeaway coffee shops operated in Hulhumale' Phase 1 on Friday night. Two more expats who were exchanging dollars on the black market were also arrested last week.
According to the Business Registration Act (Act no. 18/2014) of Maldives, stationing expatriates as cashiers is prohibited. However, this practice continues to be observed in countless businesses, with it now having become habitual in the country over the years.
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