31 detained in Immigration raid on expat-dominated businesses in Male’

Maldives Immigration detained dozens of expatriates from Male’ City on Wednesday, in raids on expatriate-dominated business establishments located at the Dhilbahaaru Magu.

 In a statement on Thursday, Immigration said the operation was run by the joint taskforce following multiple reports regarding the business establishments located along Dhilbahaaru Magu.

31 irregular expatriates were detained in the raids, said Immigration.

However, the agency did not disclose any details, including their gender or nationality.

އިއްޔެ ހަވީރު ޓާސްކްފޯސްއިން ވަނީ، ގިނަ އަދަދަކަށް ރިޕޯޓު ލިބިފައިވާ، މާލޭގެ ދިލްބަހާރުމަގުގައި ހިމެނޭ ބިދޭސީންގެ ނުފޫޒު ބޮޑުކަމަށް ބެލެވޭ ވިޔަފާރިތައް ހިންގާ ތަންތަން ބަލައިފާސްކޮށްފައި. މި އޮޕަރޭޝަނުން، އެ ތަންތަނުގައި ގަވާއިދާ ހިލާފަށް އުޅެމުންދިއަ 31 ބިދޭސީން ވަނީ… pic.twitter.com/opAnIPC81Q

— Maldives Immigration (@ImmigrationMV) July 10, 2025

The crackdown on irregular migration – launched in 2023 – has seen over 6,000 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. On March 19, the Homeland Security Ministry announced that they have connected the biometric data of over 100,000 expatriates, including 65,000 from the greater Male’ area, since the program was launched on May 2, 2024.

The government has said that the completion of ‘Kurangi’ will provide a permanent solution to irregular migration.