Immigration Detains 25 Expats in Night Raids Across Malé City
Immigration officers detain expatriates during a night raid in Malé City | Photo: Maldives Immigration
Maldives Immigration detained 25 expatriates during a series of nighttime raids conducted across Malé City on Thursday, as part of a wider operation targeting irregular migration.
The raids were carried out by a joint task force, which inspected the documentation of 102 expatriates at two separate locations in the capital. The first site was a property in the Henveiru district, while the second was located in Haveeree Goalhi, Maafannu.
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ގަވާއިދާ ހިލާފަށް ރާއްޖޭގައި ދިރިއުޅެމުންދާ ބިދޭސީން ހޯދުމަށް ޓާސްކް ފޯސްއިން ކުރިއަށްގެންދާ އޮޕަރޭޝަންތަކުގެ ދަށުން،2025 މޭ 29 ވަނަ ދުވަހުގެ ރޭ ވަނީ 2 ތަނެއް ބަލައި ފާސްކޮށްފައި. މި އޮޕަރޭޝަންގައި ޖުމަލް 102 ބިދޭސީން ޗެކްކޮށްފައިވޭ. އެގޮތުން، ހެންވޭރުގައި ހުންނަ ގެއަކުން 7… pic.twitter.com/BwGcw4nTfU— Maldives Immigration (@ImmigrationMV) May 31, 2025
Of those detained, seven were apprehended in Henveiru and 18 in Maafannu. Immigration did not disclose further details regarding the gender or nationalities of those taken into custody.
The operation forms part of a broader crackdown on undocumented foreign workers, which began in 2023. Since the start of the initiative, over 6,000 expatriates have been deported from the Maldives.
Alongside enforcement measures, the government has been implementing ‘Operation Kurangi’—a programme designed to compile biometric data for all expatriates residing in the country. The initiative, which launched on 2 May 2024, has already recorded biometric information for more than 100,000 individuals, including approximately 65,000 from the greater Malé area.
Authorities have stated that the completion of Operation Kurangi will be instrumental in establishing a long-term solution to managing irregular migration in the Maldives.
