Maldives Immigration has detained 25 foreign nationals violating Immigration laws, following operations conducted in the local market area and Heenaamaage parking area in Male’ City.
In recent months, Immigration has ramped up efforts to identify foreigners living illegally in the Maldives. A reporting platform, Immigration Watch, has also been launched by the authority for the public to make reports or send in tip-offs regarding such cases.
Immigration Wednesday said the Immigration Watch had received information of significant foreign influence in the local market area and the Heenaamaage parking area. In raid operations targeting these two locations, the Immigration Task Force vetted 137 foreign nationals, of which 25 were found to be undocumented. They have since been taken into Immigration custody.
The operations saw active participation from Controller General of Immigration Mohamed Sham’aan Waheed and Deputy Controller Ahmed Ashfan. A raid video publicized by Immigration showed foreigners running away from the local market as Immigration officers entered the area. However, Immigration officers are seen catching up to them.
Addressing the challenge of undocumented foreigners living in the Maldives is a top priority for President Dr Mohamed Muizzu’s government. While efforts are underway to collect information on foreigners residing in all inhabited islands, resorts, industrial islands and agricultural islands, operations are also being conducted to ensure public health safety, particularly in food production involving foreign workers.
Maldives immigration had previously revealed that over 5,000 foreign nationals have been deported since President Dr Mohamed Muizzu took Office in November 2023. While efforts to identify undocumented foreigners have been expanded across the Maldives, the government hopes to consolidate information on foreign nationals into a centralized database. The aim is to bring a comprehensive solution to the illegal foreigner issue within three years.