Five irregular expats detained in raids on Male’ coffeeshops

Maldives Immigration detained five irregular expatriate workers on Saturday, in raids targeting coffeeshops in Male’ City.

According to Immigration, the raids were conducted by the taskforce as part of the ongoing joint operation targeting irregular expatriates.

The taskforce raided six coffeeshops on Saturday, and detained five irregular expatriates.

ޓާސްކުފޯހުން މާލޭގެ ކޮފީ ޝޮޕްތަކަށް ހާއްސަކޮށްގެން އިއްޔެ ހިންގި ރެއިޑު އޮޕަރޭޝަންގައި 06 ތަނެއް ބަލައި ފާސްކޮށް ގަވާއިދާ ހިލާފަށް އުޅެމުންދިއަ 05 ބިދޭސީއެއް ވަނީ އިމިގްރޭޝަންގެ ބެލުމުގެ ދަށަށް ގެނެވިފައި.@PoliceMv pic.twitter.com/uk1ZBZjdig

— Maldives Immigration (@ImmigrationMV) December 29, 2024

The crackdown on irregular migration – launched last year – has seen over 5,000 expatriates deported from the Maldives.

The Maldives also been running ‘Operation Kurangi’ – a program to collect the biometric data of all expatriates in the country.

The biometric data of over 18,000 expatriates have been collected so far. And the Home Ministry expects to finish the task by April next year.