Maldives Immigration has launched a special online platform, ‘Immigration Watch’, allowing citizens to report illegal immigrants anonymously. The platform, which can be accessed via imuga, was unveiled by the Controller General of Immigration, Mohamed Shamaan Waheed.
Speaking at the launch, Shamaan highlighted the importance of community involvement in tackling illegal immigration. “This platform will enable Maldivians to work closely with the authorities to address the problem of illegal immigrants. It allows for anonymous reports and submissions of relevant documentation, including pictures,” he stated. The platform is operational 24 hours a day, providing a continuous channel for reporting.
The launch of ‘Immigration Watch’ comes amid heightened efforts to centralise information on all foreign nationals in the Maldives into a unified database. This initiative aims to resolve related issues within a three-year timeframe, ensuring that foreign workers are brought into the country through legitimate means only.
The Maldivian Constitution stipulates that foreign workers can only be brought into the country if there are available vacancies and they are eligible for work through relevant agencies. Despite these regulations, numerous instances of illegal entry and employment have been reported, prompting this latest initiative.
Maldives Immigration’s recent activities illustrate the urgency of the situation. On Wednesday, the authority announced the deportation of 206 expatriates involved in various criminal activities, including 65 for prostitution and 141 with links to gangs and drug-related crimes. Additionally, the statistics reveal that from November last year to July 16, a total of 2,069 expatriates have been deported following 152 raids.
Other offences leading to deportations included:
• Black market currency exchange networks: 8 deportations
• Forged or doctored visa and permits: 9 deportations
• Illegal immigrants arrested through ongoing operations: 15 deportations
The Maldives has a significant expatriate population, and issues of illegal immigration and unauthorised business activities among expatriates are prevalent. The launch of ‘Immigration Watch’ is expected to enhance the authorities’ ability to address these problems more effectively.
Earlier efforts by the Ministry of Homeland Security and Technology saw the initiation of ‘Operation Kurangi’, a nationwide campaign to collect biometrics of immigrants and integrate their details into an official registry. This campaign aims to strengthen the regulatory framework and improve the monitoring of foreign nationals in the country.
As Maldives Immigration continues to collaborate with the Maldives Police Service in conducting regular raids, the introduction of this online reporting platform marks a proactive approach in engaging the community to ensure a lawful and orderly process for foreign workers in the Maldives.
