KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 18 — A total of 27 male tailors from Bangladesh and Nepal were arrested for various immigration offences at a three-storey premises in Section 7, Shah Alam, near here, yesterday afternoon.

Immigration Department director-general Datuk Khairul Dzaimee Daud said all those arrested during the 4pm raid were aged between 22 and 45, comprising 26 Bangladeshis and one Nepali.

"During the raid, the foreigners were not aware of the presence of Immigration officers and they did not have time to escape.

"Among the offences identified were not having identification documents, overstaying, violating pass conditions and other offences that violated the Immigration Act,” he said in a statement today.

He said there were well-known business premises trying to harbour foreigners by deceiving personnel from the authorities, besides renovating buildings to hide these "workshops”.

All detainees were placed at the Semenyih Immigration Detention Depot, Selangor, for further action, he said, adding that they could be jailed and deported upon conviction. — Bernama