PUTRAJAYA, Nov 27 — The Immigration Department conducted an operation at tailoring premises around Sungai Besi today and detained 43 illegal immigrants for various offences.

Immigration director-general Datuk Seri Mustafar Ali said the enforcement team comprising 79 Immigration officers had inspected 26 premises and 98 foreigners in the operation from 12 to 2 pm.

He said 20 Indonesians were detained, including 12 women, as well as Bangladeshis (12 men), Indian nationals (six men and one woman), Myanmar nationals (two men), a Pakistani man and a Thai woman.

"All those detained were aged 25 to 45 and they will be placed at the Bukit Jalil Detention Depot for further investigation and follow-up action.

"Among the offences identified were not possessing identification documents, misuse of passes, overstaying, unauthorised cardholders and other offences in violation of the Immigration Act,” he said in a statement here today.

Mustafar said enforcement operations were carried out on a daily basis to track, arrest, prosecute and expel foreigners who violated the Immigration Act 1959/63, the Passport Act 1966 and the Immigration Regulations 1963; and Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants (ATIPSOM) Act.

Meanwhile, Mustafar said the department had so far carried out 13,488 operations and detained 43,962 illegal immigrants and 1,281 employers. — Bernama