Maldives Immigration has detained 107 undocumented foreigners in Alifu Alifu atoll Thoddoo following a special operation on the island.

Immigration said today that the operation was conducted after receiving multiple complaints from the public about undocumented foreigners living on the island.

According to Immigration, 507 foreigners were screened during the operation, which was conducted from 6am to 4pm yesterday. Of those screened, 107 were detained for lacking valid documentation.

Immigration periodically conducts operations in Male' and other parts of the country to identify foreigners living or working without the required documentation.

Workplaces and other locations are searched during such operations, with those found to be in violation of immigration requirements taken into custody and, in some cases, subsequently deported.

In July, the Home Ministry said 12,552 undocumented foreigners had been deported between November 17, 2023 and June 13, 2026.

The ministry said those deported included people who had been removed through different deportation procedures, including foreigners conducting businesses in violation of the law and those with incomplete documentation.

Under the government’s mass regularization programme, foreign workers in the Maldives, including those without work permits, with expired permits or without official identification documents were given an opportunity to regularize and remain in the country legally.