Four locations in Malé searched, 16 expatriates detained

Maldives Immigration has detained another 16 expatriates during its ongoing raid operations to crack down on immigration regulation violations in the country.

Immigration revealed today that the 16 individuals were detained after searching four different locations and that all of them were found to have been in violation of regulations.

Maldives Police Service and Immigration have been conducting these raids on a daily basis with about 130 expatriates detained and ready to be deported from the most recent raids.

These raids especially focus on illegal businesses run by expatriates, with many expatriates who are manning cash registers and businesses taken into custody as it violates immigration laws.

In an interview last week, Controller General of Immigration Mohamed Shamaan said that 2013 expatriates were detained and deported in the last seven months over various violations.

While some were arrested from small retail stores and takeaway coffee shops, others were arrested from spas which were used as prostitution fronts. Maldives Immigration said that these raids will continue indefinitely.