Controller General of Immigration Mohamed Shamman Waheed announced on Sunday that local authorities have deported a total of 2,013 undocumented immigrants back to their home countries. This action was taken as part of a broader effort to address undocumented immigration and related criminal activities within the country.
At a joint press conference held by the Ministry of Homeland Security and Technology, Maldives Police Service, and Immigration, Shamman detailed that the deportations occurred between 17 November and 11 July. He emphasised that the deported individuals included expatriates involved in serious issues, such as criminal activities and operating businesses illegally without the involvement of a local party.
“We have expanded our operations since last week. We are focusing these operations on undocumented immigrants and expatriates who own and run businesses illegally without a local party’s involvement,” Shamman stated.
As part of the ongoing crackdown, Immigration has detained a total of 112 undocumented expatriates as of Saturday. Arrangements are being made to deport these individuals back to their home countries, ensuring they do not have further opportunities to remain in the Maldives.
The high expatriate population in the Maldives, which plays a significant role in various industries, has raised concerns regarding undocumented immigration and businesses owned unlawfully by expatriates. This issue has prompted authorities to take decisive actions to maintain law and order.
In response to these challenges, the Ministry of Homeland Security earlier launched ‘Operation Kurangi’, a nationwide effort to collect the biometric data of immigrants. This initiative aims to create a comprehensive registry to accurately identify and manage the immigrant population within the country.
The concerted efforts by Maldivian authorities highlight the nation’s commitment to addressing undocumented immigration and ensuring that all expatriates comply with local laws and regulations.
