ALOR GAJAH, July 13 — Two young boys were among six Myanmar nationals detained by the Melaka Immigration Department for allegedly operating a grocery shop selling various goods imported from Myanmar as well as alcoholic beverages during a raid at Taman Mewah, Kelemak, here today.
Melaka Immigration director Anirwan Fauzee Mohd Aini said in the raid, conducted at about 10 am, four adults comprising three women and a man in their 40s were found to possess only passports, while the two boys, aged one and seven, had no valid travel or identity documents.
He said preliminary investigations revealed that the premises, which were equipped with closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras both inside and outside, were believed to have been operating for about two years.
“Based on preliminary information obtained from the Myanmar nationals, the premises are owned by a local individual and the business licence is believed to have been involved in an ‘Ali Baba’ arrangement, whereby a local licence holder fronts a business effectively operated by foreign nationals.”
“In this operation, we targeted several premises in the Kelemak area believed to be employing or operated by foreign nationals,” he told reporters after the nationwide simultaneous enforcement operation here today.
In the same operation, Anirwan Fauzee said three Indian men working at a mamak restaurant in Taman Seri Kelemak were also detained for allegedly overstaying in the country.
He said when the raid was conducted, the three men, aged in their 30s, were working as waiters, roti canai makers and beverage preparers.
“Inspection of the restaurant also uncovered a room suspected of being used for online gambling top-up activities. An Indonesian woman in her late 20s was also detained for not possessing valid travel documents and is suspected of working as a salesperson for the online gambling top-up service,” he said.
He said a total of 64 foreign nationals were checked during the operation carried out in the Alor Gajah and Melaka Tengah districts, with 40 detained for allegedly committing various immigration offences, including not possessing valid identification documents, breaching pass conditions and overstaying.
Those detained comprised 27 men, including two children, and 13 women, namely seven Indonesians, seven Bangladeshis, 14 Indians, eight Myanmar nationals and four Nepalese, aged between one and 40.
He said several foreign nationals also attempted to flee into a nearby forest and crossed the road recklessly, putting themselves at risk, but all were successfully apprehended. — Bernama
