377 Bangladeshis among 770 undocumented migrants held in Kuala Lumpur raid

A total of 770 undocumented migrants, including 377 Bangladeshis, were detained during a special operation by Malaysia’s Immigration Department in the Bukit Bintang area of Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday evening (September 2).

The detainees also include 235 Myanmar nationals, 72 Nepalis, 58 Indians, 19 Indonesians (17 men and 2 women), and 9 others (3 men and 6 women), officials said.

Basri Othman, director of the Immigration Enforcement Division, said the drive followed complaints from locals that the area had turned into a hub for illegal activities involving foreigners.

The migrants were detained for various offences, including overstaying visas, lacking valid documents, and misusing permits.

The raid, which began around 7:30 pm, was conducted by 106 immigration officers. A total of 2,445 people were checked during the drive, including 1,600 foreigners and 845 Malaysian nationals.

Authorities also uncovered an illegal gambling centre controlled through CCTV surveillance. Eight foreigners were arrested at the site while engaged in gambling.